by Joni Astrup

Associate Editor

Seventeen-year-old Emily Honl will pick up two diplomas this spring.

One will be from Spectrum High School in Elk River, where she is a senior. The other will be from Anoka-Ramsey Community College in Coon Rapids, where she is earning an Associate of Arts degree without leaving Spectrum’s campus.

Emily Honl

Honl, of Big Lake, is Spectrum’s first student to earn an associate degree through the school’s concurrent enrollment program. It’s believed to be a first for charter schools in Minnesota.

Vanessta Spark, executive director of Spectrum, called it a “great accomplishment” for Honl.

Honl participates in Spectrum’s CaSH (College at Spectrum High) program.

Honl said she took college classes as a way to challenge herself and to pick up college credits, which were at no cost. She plans to go to college in Texas, followed by medical school.

She took both college classes and high school classes as a junior and senior. She also works at Caribou Coffee in Big Lake.

“It’s hard because you have to juggle a lot of things,” Honl said. “It’s a lot of work. You really have to put into it what you want to get out of it.”

Spark said they work with three different colleges as part of Spectrum’s concurrent enrollment program — Anoka-Ramsey Community College, St. Cloud State University and the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.

The program began at Spectrum eight years ago with one course. Today the school offers 17 concurrent enrollment classes and will be adding more.

“The whole CaSH program reflects our mission as a college preparatory school,” Spark said. It also is a chance for students to earn college credit without having to pay for tuition or books.

Spark said she would love to see every Spectrum student graduate with at least one college course completed. Five to seven juniors are currently on track to complete an associate degree by the time they graduate from high school.

All 17 of the college courses offered at Spectrum are taught by Spectrum teachers who have master’s degrees. Mentors from Anoka-Ramsey Community College oversee the classes and visit Spectrum during the semester. Students enrolled in classes through SCSU or the U of M are required to visit the campus once during the semester. A Spectrum economics class, for instance, attended an economics lecture at the U of M.

For Honl, the CaSH program will allow her to earn 60 college credits by the end of this school year. She took most of her classes through Anoka-Ramsey; one was from St. Cloud State University.

Honl has studied a variety of subjects including algebra, English, Spanish and environmental science. She also took five online classes through Anoka-Ramsey including two in music, two in health and one in government.

by Joni Astrup

Associate Editor

Spectrum High School in Elk River is expanding.

Spectrum plans to turn part of this U-shaped building along Twin Lakes Road into a sixth grade education center. The building is located at 11044 Industrial Circle.

The public charter school plans to open a separate sixth grade education center at 11044 Industrial Circle, across the street from the existing school at 17796 Industrial Circle. Both sites are located south of Home Depot in the Elk River Business Park.

The Elk River City Council voted 3-2 Monday to approve a conditional use permit for the project.

The new sixth grade facility will be in an existing commercial condo building. The school plans to buy 10 of the 22 condo suites. The suites were built in 2007 but have never been occupied and are unfinished inside.

Spectrum plans to transform the space into seven classrooms and associated school spaces, plus a gymnasium, locker rooms and weight room, according to a project narrative. The gym will be used not only by the sixth graders, but for after-school sports. A warehouse in the business park that is now being leased for wrestling will no longer be needed once the gym is open.

There are several reasons to establish a separate sixth grade center, according to the project narrative:

•Demand for enrollment in sixth grade at Spectrum is much higher than the positions that are open.

•A separate sixth grade center will allow more students to attend Spectrum.

•The separate sixth grade center will afford sixth graders a year to prepare before transitioning into the rigorous academic environment at Spectrum High.

The conditional use permit approved by the City Council limits the sixth grade center’s capacity to no more than 150 students. Ten additional staff members are proposed to be added.

Spectrum High School now houses students in grades six through 12. It serves a student population of 525, which is the capacity under an existing conditional use permit for the current school at 17796 Industrial Circle, according to the project narrative.

Moving sixth graders into the new facility will free up space for additional students at the existing school.

Council members were split over permit

Council members Stewart Wilson and Barb Burandt and Mayor John Dietz voted to approve a conditional use permit for the sixth grade education center. Council members Paul Motin and Matt Westgaard voted against it.

Motin said Spectrum is an excellent school in the wrong location.

“I don’t want in any way to say that they shouldn’t grow,” Motin said. “I guess my view is they shouldn’t grow in the current location.”

The area is an industrial park, he said. The school and the proposed sixth grade center are on a street frequented by semis and other trucks, he said.

Motin also said he preferred to see the proposed sixth grade center space used for its intended industrial purpose.

“We’re coming out of a recession now. We continously hear that the city has a great need for industrial property … and now we’re looking at converting half of that (commercial condo) building for an educational purpose,” he said.

Westgaard echoed Motin’s objections. “I have nothing against Spectrum High School whatsoever,” Westgaard said. “I just think it’s not the right fit.”

Both he and Motin also felt having a school in the building would impact current and future occupants in the rest of the commercial condos.

Additionally, Westgaard said the council had allowed Spectrum into the business park initially to help the school out as it faced challenges finding a site. At that time, Westgaard said Spectrum agreed to a cap on enrollment of 525 students at its current site. Now, he said the school is growing, and that’s great, but it’s taking over the business park. “I really wrestle with that,” he said.

Wilson, however, favored allowing the school to grow.

He said Spectrum has established itself in the community, students want to attend the school and it has a need to expand.

“To stand in opposition to that just doesn’t sit well with me,” Wilson said.

Burandt also favored the expansion, saying the school is doing a good job, has adequate parking and has a good plan to unload buses on the sixth grade center site, off the street.

Both city staff and the Elk River Planning Commission had recommended approval of Spectrum’s request for the conditional use permit as well.

About Spectrum High School in Elk River

•Spectrum High School is a free grade 6-12 public charter school.

•Instruction began in 2006, serving 60 students out of the Boys and Girls Club in Elk River.

•Spectrum now has 525 students enrolled and is located in a school building at17796 Industrial Circle.

•Spectrum’s mission is to encourage students to attain their maximum potential through a three-dimensional strategy emphasizing a college preparatory cirriculum, a technology-rich environment and community-based outreach.

•The student-teacher ratio is, on average, 22:1.

•For more information, go to www.spectrumhighschool.org.

Source: Spectrum High School

This is the first of three pieces brought to you by Distance Minnesota about some of today’s hottest career fields.

Distance Minnesota is offering a free Online Career Workshop starting March 31 that will assist you in gaining more knowledge about your values, personality, skills and interests and how they relate to possible careers. Register today. Space may be limited.

It’s no secret that technology has changed how we live. From tablets and streaming video, to big data analytics and network security, we live in a digital world that impacts us every minute of every day. However, technology not only improves the way we live and work in the present, but also offers great opportunity for the future.

The rush of technology advances and innovations brings a wave of career opportunities to those with the right training, whether your objective is to advance in your current profession or explore a new one within the many business sectors under the realm of IT. Going back to school for an IT degree to increase your skill set could be the right path for you. Why?

• The workforce needs IT pros with up-to-date skills. You may think that years of past experience are the key to success for IT professionals, but that’s not necessarily true. More than nine-in-10 – 93 percent – of U.S. IT and business executives report that there is a vast difference between existing and desired skills among their staffs, according to CompTIA, a non-profit trade association representing the IT industry.

• The IT world needs well-rounded tech professionals. IT challenges that employers face today demand more than just technical know-how, and newer IT degree programs are designed with this in mind. For instance, Distance Minnesota, a part of Minnesota Online, offers online IT degree curriculum that addresses emerging areas such as IT administration, cloud computing, and security and forensics.

• You may think that obstacles, such as time and money, are too difficult to overcome in order to return to school for a new degree. However, online programs are changing that. For example the IT degree through Distance Minnesota is both affordable and highly flexible to accommodate adult student schedules. The program enables students to finish assignments and earn their degrees as time permits, while juggling work, family and other responsibilities that are often roadblocks in more traditional education settings.

Whether you are seeking to advance in your current career or embark on a new one, career opportunities in the IT industry are many. And now, obtaining the skills you need to be successful in this market are more accessible and affordable than ever. To learn more about the Distance Minnesota IT program, visit distanceminnesota.org.

This is the second of three pieces brought to you by Distance Minnesota about some of today’s hottest career fields. Be sure to check out our piece on the IT workforce.

Distance Minnesota is offering a free Online Career Workshop starting March 31 that will assist you in gaining more knowledge about your values, personality, skills and interests and how they relate to possible careers. Register today. Space may be limited.

Catastrophes like the crash of Asiana Airlines Flight 214 in San Francisco and the Boston Marathon bombings have highlighted the extraordinary work of emergency departments (ED) and their indispensable role in health care.

While disasters such as these are rare, emergency medicine plays a pivotal role in our nation’s health care system every day. Emergency nurses, in particular, play an integral role in minimizing devastation when tragedy strikes.

In addition to providing care in critical circumstances, EDs frequently address the health care needs of the uninsured that do not have access to non-emergency health care providers. Many patients – nearly 80 percent, including those who have insurance – report visiting the ED if they do not have immediate access to care from a physician or other health care provider, according to a 2011 survey conducted by the Center for Disease Control.

This data reflects a growing trend – visits to EDs are on the rise. From 2001 to 2008, ED visits increased 60 percent faster than population growth during an eight year period, according to a study published in-”Annals of Emergency Medicine.” The number of ED visits is expected to increase as the national population grows, and the U.S. population is projected to increase by nearly 27.3 percent by 2050, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2012 National Projections.

This presents a challenge for communities as health care system consolidations and closures spread. The “Journal of the American Medical Association” reports that from 1990 to 2009, the number of EDs in non-rural areas declined by 27 percent. Hospitals will need to adapt to increases in the volume of patients seeking immediate care by being equipped with emergency professionals who can provide prompt valuation and care. -

“Emergency nurses have the knowledge and skills to provide immediate assessment of patients and work quickly with physicians to determine next steps for treatment and care,” says JoAnn Lazarus, MSN, RN, CEN, 2013 president for the Emergency Nurses Association. “In emergency nursing, no two days are the same. Nurses must know how to help treat everything from broken bones to a heart attack, while remaining calm and acting as a patient advocate.”

Working in an ED requires a firm foundation of basic nursing skills because of the urgent nature of emergency situations. Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree programs that include critical care courses, like those offered through Distance Minnesota, can prepare students interested in embarking on a career in the specialization.

Whether you are seeking to advance in your current career or embark on a new one, career opportunities in the Health industry are many. And now, obtaining the skills you need to be successful are more accessible and affordable than ever. To learn more about the Distance Minnesota Health programs, visit distanceminnesota.org.

This is the last of three pieces brought to you by Distance Minnesota about some of today’s hottest career fields. Be sure to check out our piece on the IT workforce and the Health industry.

Distance Minnesota is offering a free Online Career Workshop starting March 31 that will assist you in gaining more knowledge about your values, personality, skills and interests and how they relate to possible careers. Register today. Space may be limited.

With the economy improving, more job opportunities are appearing, giving today’s students openings to show prospective employers their skills and professional talents. However, the job market is still competitive, and students need to know – and then acquire – the skills prospective employers want.

In the law enforcement industry, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts demand for police officers and detectives will increase 5 percent through the year 2022. This growth will make jobs available, but applicants must expect competition for these jobs.

Having knowledge of what traits and skills law enforcement agencies across the country want in candidates will help students strongly compete for open positions. Some background information and skills to know about in advance are:

Writing and communication skills for law enforcement

Report writing is an important part of the job for law enforcement officers, and departments are looking for officers who can communicate well in those reports. They have the potential for being reviewed by other officers, by the media, involved in court cases, and reviewed by many other professionals, which is why good communication skills are so important. What may surprise some applicants is that these writing skills are exactly that – often handwritten. Many departments don’t have the high-tech computer systems found in the detective shows on TV, making computer skills less important than effective communication skills, both written and oral.

Ethics/integrity

Police officers may face many ethical issues on a daily or weekly basis, and how an officer behaves in these situations could affect an individual, business or even the community as a whole. All criminal justice students should complete an ethics course to ensure they’re prepared for the law enforcement working environment.

Community involvement

Many police departments require their officers to live within the community. Officers involved in the community are more effective in their careers.

Physical fitness for law enforcement applicants

Applicants shouldn’t be surprised that physical fitness is a requirement for most positions. Physical fitness prior to and during the testing process is critical if you want to get the career of your choice. Students wanting to be competitive for those open positions should begin additional physical training on their own.

These helpful hints about the law enforcement market, and what’s expected of candidates for jobs, were designed to help candidates have an edge when applying for those open positions. And even with the job market improving, that edge is important to getting the best position possible.

Whether you are seeking to advance in your current career or embark on a new one, career opportunities in the Health industry are many. And now, obtaining the skills you need to be successful are more accessible and affordable than ever. To learn more about the Distance Minnesota Law Enforcement programs, visit distanceminnesota.org.

A Honor Roll Zimmerman Middle School – 3rd Quarter

Grade 6 – Shawna Achammer, Eric Ahner, Elisabeth Anderson, Lauren Anderson, Samantha Andresen, Kayden Baldridge, Bailey Benner, Rachel Bickman, Taylor Burke, Aaron Coons, Joseph Diegnau, Gavin Ericson, Madeline Feigum, Paige Findell, Cody Frederick, Courtney Gordon, Nicole Gruwell, Ashley Hoheisel, Brett Howard, Pacey Huff, Josie Janu, Lela Jensen, Blake Johnson, Maili Kamruzzaman, Payton Knight, Dayton Koehler, Tate Laabs, Amber Larson, Molly Loftus, Laura Mager, Joseph Manthey, Carter McEachern, Alexa Moen, Amber Moll, Cooper Nelson, Hannah Nelson, Alyson Olerich, Jordan Opsahl, Sydney Payeur, Grace Peterson, Hailee Peterson, William Pouliot, Sarah Pulkrabek, Jolie Putnam, Jordana Rost, Matthew Rotz, Lilya Rozhik, Nicholas Schomaker, Kendall Schottenbauer, Brody Schultz, Noel Spence, Adeline Tiggelaar, Dillon Tucker, Kaylee Turney, Jamison Ward, Gabrielle Weber, Trevor Wellman, Joseph Zaidi

Grade 7 – Peyton Ahner, Anna Beard, Alexis Beck, Alexis Berg, Hunter Budeau, Delaney Dekok, Margo Drew, Brady Gibeau, Carter Giese, Dane Harberts, Sydney Hicks, Katelin Jacob, Michael Johann, Jacob Johnson, Hannah Larson, McKenna Miller, Natalie Miller, Miranda Muckenhirn, Caden Neubauer, Hunter Peterson, Jay Rickard, Noah Rotz, Clay Sandy, Chloe Schneider, Aliska Simonovich, Johnathan Steinke, Jason Thomas, Hope Wiley, Hannah Wudtke

Grade 8 – Taylor Abrahamson, Ryan Acker, Mikaela Ackerman, Abbie Benjamin, Leah Benz, Nathaniel Boyer, Lindsey Briggs, Justin Brown, Rachel Bruce, Nathen Carlin, Brendan Dahl, Kacia Dooley, Taylor Foster, Brett Gordon, Isabella Gorecki, Madison Guimont, Alyssa Hanlon, Thomas Haupert, Ryan Hermanson, Brooklyn Horkey, Hannah Husted, Zachary Jamison, Kylee Johnson, Humaira Kamruzzaman, Benjamin Kuker, Tyes Laidlaw, Alexis Laurent, Heidi Lietha, Krista Lindberg, Zane Luing, Amanda Mager, Dylan Martin, Katherine Merwin, Mya Miller, Andrew Olinger, Savannah Olson, Benjamin Ortberg, Chikara Padilla, Jacob Pensinger, Steven Peters, MaKayla Pool, Kevin Rajchel, Colton Reschke, Austin Robinson, Justin Robinson, Andrea Ruether, Emily Ryding, Rebecca Schmit, Bethany Steinke, Caitlin Steiskal, Andrew Thompson, Kayla Trisko, Makenna Upton, Alyssa Vangstad, Megan Vensland, Alexis Ward, Alissa Wilbur, Kevin Winkels, Allisyn Young, Cassidy Young, Damon Ziebarth

B Honor Roll Zimmerman Middle School – 3rd  Quarter

Grade 6 – Jason Allred, Avary Anderson, Paige Anderson, Erika Andrews, Alivia Benjamin, Logan Botzek, Jesse Bowers, Aleah Boyer, Ethan Cairns, Cole Carbert, Addison Casey, Olivia Coker, Cameron Curtis, Sydney Curtis, Skyler Daubanton, Ashley Dittberner, Haley Donley, Miguel Ebel, Bailey Emery, Thomas Evans, Hunter Fladung, Olyvia Fondie, Alison Fore, Ethan Foster, Samuel Freeberg, Jonah Hertaus, Zachary Husted, Canyon Johnson, Amber Knapp, Molly Knutson, Alyssa Koch, Tate Krueger, Evelina Kucherov, Victoria Larsen, Abigale Larson, Garrik Martin, Eryn Mattson, Peyton McConville, Annika Neitzer, Hunter Nelson, Parker Nelson, Connie Neumiller, Morgan Olson, Zackary Osmonson, Garrett Peters, Jacob Pool, Joshua Reynolds, Alexander Richert, Chase Richter, Mason Riddel, Corina Sandy, Tanner Sing, Angelina Vaughn, Gavin Victor, Timothy Vorobyev, Aaren Vrana, Emili Waite, Tyler Walz, Ethan Wark, Dominic Wehmhoff, Evan Wilder, Thomas Wiley, Elijah Witte
 
Grade 7 –  Cheresa Bouley, Bruce Bray, Ian Carlin, Connor Cook, Paul Dehnhoff, Cade Dering, Evan Dewey, Travis Helmuth, Karissa Heyer, Noah Kimpton, Ruvim Kucherov, Kinsey Lage, Chloe Loudin, Solvej Lund, Reese Lundberg, Mason McKay, Jacob Murphy, Keenan Nelson, Benjamin Nye, Alexis O’Connor, Lindsay Phillips, Mikayla Pramann, Hadley Roman, Timothy Schermann, Molly Schmidt, Robert Stephany, Haylie Sullivan, Luke Sundeen, Laura Waage, Gabriella Wilson, Allison Ziesmer

Grade 8 – Zachary Brooks, Isabella Crego, Samuel Egland, Jacob Gagne, Emma Hamlin, Kerrisa Hodge, Blake Howard, Marissa Jenson, Kayli Johnson, Morgan Johnson, Gage Kadlec, Megan Kirkendall, Jillian Kostrzewski, Wyatt Kostrzewski, Joseph Leider, Dallas Loneman, Samuel Mattson, Ilea May, Christina McCorison, Riley McKnight, Alivia McNulty, Jade Nolden, Jacob Pulkrabek, Cassondra Rohrbach, Payton Scott, Hannah Stephany, Nathan Thompson, Marcus Weitnauer, Lyndsey Weller, Jace Werner

The Handke Family Center remodeling project in Elk River has begun and by midnight on May 9 the north wing of the building will be turned over the construction crews.

That’s when everything in that end of the building will need to be packed up and moved out to storage.

The construction project began about six weeks  ago, starting with the media center that will become a new entrance to the facility.

The last day of school for high school seniors in the Elk River Area School District has been extended from June 2 to June 3.

The extra day is needed to meet the state’s required minimum attendance hours.

Students have had six school days called on account of cold and/or snow.

The last day for all other students in the district is June 5, which includes two make up days that were tacked on due to school closures.

A decision was made earlier this year not to make up all of the missed days.

by Joni Astrup

Associate Editor

Have fun. Be selfless. Be thankful.

Samuel Rogers offered those words of advice to his classmates as he gave the honor-student address during Spectrum High School’s commencement, held May 23 at the charter school in Elk River.

Samuel Rogers gave the honor student address. Photo by Erik Jacobson.

Rogers told the graduates that as they move into adulthood, have fun by remembering to stop once in awhile, take a break from their daily routines and enjoy their lives and what is happening around them.

Regarding being selfless, he said Spectrum has trained them for that throughout high school.

“We know how to interact with the community. We know how to help people who need it,” he said.

He also urged his classmates to be thankful for health, blessings, the beauty of nature, parents, family and friends.

It all comes back to love, he said.

“Love yourself, and you will make time to enjoy your life. Love the people around you, and you will always lend a helping hand. Love God, and he will open your eyes to the beauty of all he has given you,” Rogers said.

Teacher Sean Ryther, who gave the commencement address, told students about being a light in a dark place.

“We live in a dark world,” he said. Nasty, horrible things happen. But Ryther told the seniors not to let that discourage them.

Commencement speaker Sean Ryther talked about being a light in the darkness. Photo by Erik Jacobson.

He said he was in darkness himself until he accepted Jesus Christ into his life.

“If you don’t have that light in your life, I encourage you, I so strongly encourage you, to get it,” he said.

“For those of you that do have that light, keep letting that light shine wherever you are at. Together, let’s be a light in the dark place,” he said.

Awards were also handed out during the commencement ceremony.

Parent volunteer Michele Newberger received the Volunteer Recognition Award. She has volunteered at the school for seven years.

Spirit Awards went to the following members of the Class of 2014: Joseph Chaffin, Seth Foust, Joel Galvin, Emily Honl, Mary McCarty, Susan Newberger, Rebecca Peterson, Tristen Rosby and Alyssa Spofford.

Four outstanding senior scholars were recognized:

•Seth Foust completed the Minnesota transfer curriculum, which required the completion at least 40 college credits in 10 goal areas. He will attend Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, where he will study pre-med.

•Emily Honl is the first Spectrum student to earn both a high school diploma and an Associate of Arts degree from Anoka-Ramsey Community College, all while remaining on Spectrum’s campus. She will attend Baylor University in Texas and plans to become a doctor.

•Mary McCarty is a National Merit Scholar. She has been awarded a $116,200 scholarship to attend the University of Oklahoma with plans to major in engineering.

•Alyssa Spofford is the Class of 2014 valedictorian. Her GPA is 4.08. She will attend Bethel University to study biochemistry. Following that, she plans to attend the University of Minnesota medical school.

Teaching is an admirable profession, whether you’re helping kindergarteners learn to read or preparing high school students for life after graduation. If you’re looking for a fulfilling career, teaching could be a great option no matter how old or young you are. Are you meant to be a teacher?

Genevieve Koens asked herself that question. She was doing well working in business after she received her MBA. But when she got divorced, she realized she wanted to spend more time with her kids instead of working up to 60 hours a week at the office.

Today Koens works in a middle school STEM program – science, technology, engineering and mathematics. “We do a lot of team work, which kids absolutely adore,” she says. “When I know what they like, I’ll try to put it into the lesson plans.”

Working at a low-income school allows her to feel like she’s making a big difference for children and helping shape their future. “I went from being a business person where my sole goal was to make money for me and my company, to being a service member where I help out kids and their families,” Koens says.

Many states face an alarming shortage of STEM teachers, according to the American Board. If you have real-world experience in these subject areas, your skills could be in high demand as a teacher.

What makes a good teacher? Here are five qualities that make teachers great. Do you embody these characteristics?

1. Passion
Great teachers are passionate about subject matter as well as helping students. Students typically respond well when they know a teacher is genuinely excited about what they teach. If you have a passion and the desire to pass on knowledge to others, teaching could be a good career for you.

2. High expectations

Great teachers set high expectations for all their students. Remember, you’re shaping knowledge and transforming lives. Make sure all students learn and succeed, and never give up on underperformers because they may be the ones that need you the most.

3. Organized

Preparing ahead of time and organizing lesson plans helps ensure every minute in the classroom can be dedicated to teaching and engaging students. If you are organized and like to plan ahead, these skills will serve you well as a teacher.

4. Flexible

Planning ahead is necessary as a teacher, but great teachers always adapt and are flexible when needed. It’s important to recognize how students really learn, and follow their lead. Watch and listen to what kids are doing and saying, and be able to change plans in order to teach more effectively.

5. Role model

As a teacher, you are a top role model in your students’ lives. Act as such and show you genuinely care about their future. When you build trust you’ll be able to make the biggest difference. To be the best role model and teacher possible, be a lifelong learner. Always hone your craft by learning new technology and teaching methods to help better reach students.

Is it time you make a career change? If you’re looking to re-career – start a different career than the one you have now – visit www.distanceminnesota.org to learn more today.

Even with technology upgrades, students still need to manage their education to make certain they get the most out of it.

For the nearly half of working adults who are interested in taking an online course, plugging into online education is easier than ever before. Now you can receive real-time alerts when grades are posted or participate in a discussion forum with classmates around the world – all before that morning cup of coffee has finished brewing.

If you are unsure of online learning, consider some of the following benefits:

1. You may experience reduced expenses.  Calculate your potential cost savings.
2. Motivated and independent learners thrive in an online learning environment.
3. Although you can save time taking an online course, you’ll still need to devote a sufficient number of hours each week.
4. Online courses may fit better with your busy life because you can access your classes anytime, anywhere through the Internet.
5. You can simultaneously take on-campus and online courses.
6. Many students who aren’t comfortable participating in on-campus classes find they contribute more freely online.

Being well prepared for taking online course work is important. We want you to have the best possible experience!

Online instruction is similar in many ways to on-campus instruction. Courses involve faculty, classmates, books and other learning resources. You are required to participate in courses and complete assignments on time.

Classes range from 6-16 weeks and follow the traditional academic year. Most programs may be completed totally online, while some programs have onsite requirements.

As a student, you can expect to be an active learner! Successful learners typically set aside 12-15 hours of study time each week per course, just as you would for a traditional classroom course. Online learning is best suited for those who are self-motivated and self-directed learners. It requires that you go beyond listening to a lecture or reading course notes. We invite you to take this quiz to see if you are ready for online learning.  If you are taking an online course for the first time, we suggest you try one course to determine if this mode of learning is right for you.

In the online learning environment you will have access to the course syllabus and course schedule which contains your instructor’s name and email address. You will submit the assignments directly to your instructor in the online course site. Throughout the learning process, your instructor will be available to guide you and answer your questions.

We invite you to further explore Distance Minnesota where we are committed to offering a satisfying, effective and affordable online college experience!

Alicia Samlaska
Parents: Angie Samlaska
Future plans: I will be attending Winona State University to major in nursing and become a pediatric nurse. Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: I was in National Honor Society and took six college classes in high school in which four of them were AP classes and two were college-in-school classes. I also played basketball for two years.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? My most memorable experience in high school would be playing on the basketball team for two years and going to watch the football games. They were both really fun.

Katherine Franzen
Parents: Paul and Pam Franzen
Future plans: I’m going to attend the University of Wisconsin-River Falls beginning in August for a four-year English degree. I hope to have a job which involves a lot of free-writing in the future.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: I was in two and a half years of choir and one year of writer’s club. I also was treasurer of the Rogers High School Leos Club (2014) and was in National Art Honor Society in my senior year.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? My best memories from high school were meeting all my friends and hanging out with them both in and out of class. We had too many good times for me to pick just one.

Rachel Dodd
Parents: John and Michelle Dodd
Future plans: I will be attending the University of St. Thomas in the fall with an undecided major. I definitely will follow a path that largely involves mathematics and communications. Recently I have considered actuarial science, statistics and industrial engineering.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: In high school I was involved in many college and AP courses as I enjoyed the challenge. My favorite courses have always been in math and science. Throughout high school I’ve been involved in sports including tennis, golf and track; tennis being my favorite as I was captain junior and senior year. Outside of sports I was involved in clubs including National Honor Society (3 years), Link (1 year), Fellowship of Christian Athletes and private and peer tutor.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? My most memorable high school experience was being able to be a captain of the tennis team. I loved leading the girls in a successful season. Every practice was motivating, yet fun. Senior year, Julia Sporer and I went undefeated until the section championship. Playing at first doubles with her really made the season worthwhile. Along with my partner, my coach Debbie Conley made my tennis career amazing. She will always be an inspiring role model in my life.

Morgan Kornovich
Parents: Keith and Cathy Kornovich
Future plans: This fall I will be attending Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. I am still undecided on a major but I am interested in actuarial science, finance and health care administration. I hope to have a job that involves math.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: Classes that I have enjoyed in high school are ones that challenge me. I have taken two years of AP English, AP calculus, AP human geography, CIS human anatomy and advanced DECA and marketing. I am a three-year DECA member and this year’s president. I was in student council for three years, National Honor Society three years and the mediation team for two years. Outside of school I have been a dancer for 11 years.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? My most memorable high school experience was attending the National DECA conference in Anaheim, California, my junior year. It was special to me because it proved that our work all year paid off. I got to explore California with amazing people and it showed me how big of a deal presentation and professionalism skills are in the real world.

Madison Anderson
Parents: John and Stephanie Anderson
Future plans: I plan to go to Winona State University to major in nursing.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: Royal Connections Mentor, tutor, National Honor Society member, softball and skiing.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? My most memorable high school experience was winning the conference with my softball team for the first time ever at Rogers.

Jennifer Eggen
Parents: Karla Eggen-Pourus and Mike Pourus and Brad Eggen
Future plans: I plan on attending North Dakota State University in the fall. I hope to successfully complete the five-year architectural engineering program there. Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: I took AP human geography, AP U.S. history, AP world history, AP English 11 (language and composition), AP English 12 (literature and composition), AP biology, AP U.S. government, CIS Spanish 1 and 2, S2S economics, CIS anatomy and AP calculus. I have played violin for 11 years through Community Education and tennis for five years on the school team. I played in the pit orchestra for the “Sound of Music” and “Phantom of the Opera” in Elk River. I played in the Monticello Community Strings Orchestra multiple years and the St. Cloud Youth Symphony Orchestra twice. I played a dead person in our school production of “Our Town.” This year I was one of the co-presidents for book club. I have also participated in art club, world language club, writer’s club and National Honor Society.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? Being a member of National Art Honor Society is probably my most memorable high school experience. Being a part of a group of people who shared a love of art was really fun. As a member of NAHS I was able to go on the trip to the Minneapolis Institute of Art and the Walker Art Center. I learned a lot on the trip. Also, the senior members of NAHS were asked to come up with an idea of what should be painted on the pole outside the drawing room. One member suggested an underwater theme, so I was able to paint a puffer fish on a pole. I’m happy I was a member of such a great group and I was able to leave my mark on the school.

Phoebe Fero
Parents: Brian and Jodi Fero
Future plans: This fall I will be attending Bemidji State University to major in education. I plan on becoming a social studies teacher, but of what age level I am unsure.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: I have had multiple AP classes, and actually all of my social studies classes have been either an AP or S2S class. During sophomore year I joined world language club, Art Club and Book Club. Senior year I added National Art Honor Society to that list.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? I have greatly enjoyed high school and it is hard to decide what my most memorable experience was, but since I must decide, I will say that adding to the mural on Mr. Hood’s wall this year has been the most memorable. It is special because I am able to leave a lasting mark on the school and I have enjoyed myself immensely while doing it.

Amber Krause
Parents: Jim and Sue Krause
Future plans: I will be attending the University of St. Thomas this fall and intend to major in accounting.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: In addition to routine coursework and several advanced placement classes, I have been involved in church activities and piano. I also worked in retail for two years and was co-president of book club senior year.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? One of my favorite experiences during high school was the opportunity to take advanced placement classes. The learning environment was fantastic and really promoted growth.

Jennifer Day
Parents: Renee and David Day
Future plans: Attending the University of Wisconsin – Madison and looking to major in molecular biology with the intent to go into research.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: I’ve taken all AP and college classes, but one, four years of Spanish. I’m in Link, National Honor Society, co-president of National Art Honor Society, Leos and Varsity Knowledge Bowl. I enjoy to paint and draw in my free time.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? It’s really hard to pick just one, so I guess all of the my AP classes were really fun and memorable. The teachers were great and I got to know a lot of awesome people. AP biology was my favorite and really influenced my career goals.

Alexa Gerber
Parents: Erika and Steve Gerber
Future plans: In the fall I’ll be starting at Minnesota State University Moorhead where I’ll be majoring in film production and English. I hope to one day become a filmmaker and tell stories of my own to anyone who will listen.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: I’ve been in choir for seven semesters and jazz choir for five semesters. I’ve also sung with the jazz band. I’ve been in the school musical for four years (one of the first two seniors to do so), and I was in the first fall play this year. I’ve been in One-Act for three years and went to sections with this year’s play “Booby Trap” and earned an all-conference award for my role.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? My most memorable high school experience was going to the Spotlight Musical Theatre Awards Showcase with the rest of our musical “Godspell” in ninth grade. We got to perform as part of a medley in front of a sold-out crowd on the Orpheum stage. It was exhilarating getting to perform in front of such a large and appreciative audience on such an iconic stage.

Brittney Dorn
Parents: Rob and Mary Dorn
Future plans: My plans for the future are to attend North Dakota State University to study pre-medicine and join the Nordic skiing club.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: In high school I am involved in cross-country running, cross-country skiing (Nordic skiing) and National Honor Society. This year I took college pre-calculus, CIS anatomy, physics, AP English, clay 1 and government/economics.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? My most memorable high school experience would be skiing in the state meet for cross-country skiing. It was such a cool experience to compete at a higher level and to know all the hard work over the summer, fall and winter had paid off.

MaKayla Luke
Parents: Peter and Tina Luke
Future plans: Next year I plan to continue at St. Cloud State where I will study either biomedical science or biotechnology with a minor in chemistry. Afterwards, I hope to move out of Minnesota and to a warmer state where I can hopefully attend pharmacy school or continue my education in the sciences.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: This past year I was a full-time PSEO student at St. Cloud State University. I did very well in my classes and I even made the dean’s list for both semesters. Because of my busy schedule, I was only able to participate in dance team and I was the captain of that.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? My most memorable high school experience was being on the dance team. I was on it for six years and the last two years I was captain. Dance team helped shape who I am today and I have many memories and met some pretty amazing people on the team.

Anne Rademacher
Parents: Joel and Joan Rademacher
Future plans: After graduation, I plan on attending Minnesota State University, Mankato and being a part of their honors program. As of now I plan on majoring in engineering, but I am also considering business finance/accounting.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: During this part year the majority of my classes were advanced placement and college credit (S2S) courses. Of these my favorites include AP calculus, AP physics and S2S German. For extra-curricular activities I played soccer for Zimmerman high School of which I was chosen to be captain. I also participated in National Honor Society and prom committee. What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? My most memorable high school experience was being part of the Zimmerman girls soccer program for six years. I was honored to have been awarded the position of captain my senior year. This experience was very special to me and I am proud to have been able to lead such a dedicated and hardworking group of girls.

David Molinari
Parents: Chuck and Kathy Molinari
Future plans: My plan is to attend the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and earn a degree in biomedical engineering.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: I took U.S. government/economics, AP English, AP statistics, AP physics and college-level Spanish IV this past year. I also proctored and helped students in AP calculus. Outside of class, I was on the varsity basketball team and captain of the varsity golf team. I was also a class officer and helped to manage the soccer team in the fall.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? My most memorable high school experience was when our golf team went up to Brainerd for an invitational meet. We were able to stay overnight in a full-sized cabin and we had a lot of fun doing it. Also, on one of our trips to Brainerd I shot my tournament low of 73 at the Preserve.

Brooke Eshleman
Parents: Curt Eshleman and Kimberly LeRoy
Future plans: I am attending the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities where I plan to major in communications and maybe business. I don’t really know what comes after that, but I hope to write and have a job that brings me to many places and into different mindsets.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: This year I chose Spanish III, choir, psychology and creative writing as my electives and it was so fun to have these options. After school I was in Knowledge Bowl and the musical “Beauty and the Beast,” playing a “silly” girl, napkin and enchantress. I found out choreography is not my strong suit.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? Gwen, Jule, my brother and I went to Target one day for a psychology experiment. They hid a camera and I had to sit in the middle of the aisles and look sad to see who would stop to “help” me. Well, no one stopped and it was really awkward because Gwen and Jule laughed and walked away.

Hunter Smith
Parents: Jon and Polly Smith
Future plans: I plant to attend Concordia Moorhead for my first few years of education for pre-med and then advance onto a medical school to become a doctor.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: I was a part of the football, wrestling and track teams. I went to state in wrestling and placed fourth. I hope to make it to state in track. I am currently taking AP calculus, AP literature, S2S economics and CIS Spanish.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? My most memorable high school experience was placing fourth at state for wrestling my senior year. It was a goal of mine for many years and to accomplish it was amazing.

Laura Hengel
Parents: Pamela and James Hengel
Future plans: I plan to attend St. Cloud State this fall for electrical engineering.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: I took violin lessons through Community Education through spring. I took three AP classes this year. I was in the conference honor band as first trombone.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? My most memorable experience in high school was participating in wind symphony these past four years.

Austin Borreson
Parents: Caroline Lappen and Michael Borreson
Future plans: Austin’s plans for the future are to attend college for pre-medicine. He will be attending University of North Dakota. As for an occupation, he plans on being an anesthesiologist or another chemistry based doctor. Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: Austin took part in many advanced classes and extracurricular activities. He was involved in a variety of AP classes and college classes, including AP calculus and CIS physics. As for extra-curricular activities, he participated in a wide array of activities. He was a cross-country runner, Nordic skier, and Knowledge Bowler. He also was a member of German Club, the National Honor Society, and Yellow Ribbon.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? Austin’s most memorable high school experience was the winter trip for skiing. The winter trip was special to him because of the rigorous skiing and the fun he had. The four days of skiing pushed him to his limits and helped to get to know the ski team better.

Jacob Dexheimer
Parents: Brett and Rebecca Dexheimer
Future plans: Attending UW-Madison to pursue a degree in computer engineering.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: This year Jake took an independent study of Computer Aided Design. Along with two classmates, he was the first to have access to a 3-D printer that the school purchased. With this printer, they built a quadcopter drone over the span of a semester. Throughout the year, the group improved upon the design, printing out new parts and components as needed. Jake also participated in Advanced Marketing, competing in three events at the state level.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? Jake’s most memorable high school experience was the DECA trip to New York City. He enjoyed exploring the city with his friends.

Cameron Gallenberg
Parents: Dennis and Kim Gallenberg
Future plans: Cameron’s plan for the future includes attending the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities to study animal science/pre-veterinary medicine. After completing her major she hopes to be accepted into veterinary school to become a veterinarian.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: Cameron was captain of the Elk River High School Equestrian Team and was involved in National Honor Society, Yellow Ribbon and Spanish Club. She was in S2S psychology, human anatomy and physiology, and college pre-calculus. Cameron continues to play the piano. She also shows her American Saddlebred horses competitively on a national level winning many regional and national awards.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? Cameron’s most memorable experience was being awarded the Minnesota High School Equestrian Association’s Member of the Year for 2013. This was a statewide award and was the highest award attainable. This was special because it recognized her dedication to her sport, her leadership and her involvement in community service. Cameron was also named the Varsity Champion in her division three years in a row. She has faced many challenges throughout her high school career and never thought these awards would be possible. This was the perfect way to end her high school equestrian career.

Weston Hansen
Parents: Eric and Gretchen Hansen
Future plans: Weston is going to attend the Carlson school of management at the University of Minnesota next year and plan to possible major in marketing.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: Weston was very involved in DECA class, competing at the state level. He also did well in the AP classes he took this year being stats, literature and macroeconomics. Finally, he was an active member in NHS and of Link.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? Being a part of Team904 was probably the most memorable experience. It was an honor to play with such an elite squad.

Luke Hemphill
Parents: Mike and Ann Marie Hemphill
Future plans: Luke plans to attend the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities where he will study mechanical engineering and possibly enroll in Air Force ROTC. He later hopes to get a job with an air or auto company designing and building airplanes or automobiles.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: Luke has taken many AP classes, including biology, computer science and English. He has also been involved in cross-country running, Nordic skiing, track and field, Link Crew and National Honor Society.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? Luke’s most memorable high school experience was going on the winter trip with, the Nordic ski team to Michigan his senior year. He had fun skiing and he made many memories spending a week with his teammates.

Katie Juettner
Parents: Gary and Diane Juettner
Future plans: Katie’s plans for the future are to attend Winona State University in the fall for a major in nursing and a minor in Spanish. She plans to take her education further after four years but does not yet know what she would like to specialize in.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: Katie enjoyed taking difficult classes to challenge herself and get her ready for college. She was also involved in soccer, Spanish Club and Prom Squad, which helped her make time to balance out homework and jobs.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? Katie’s most memorable high school experience was Mrs. Mitzuk’s anatomy class because she loved all of the people in it and she is very interested in the medical field.

Jessica Klutch
Parents: Jenny and Dave Klutch
Future plans: Bleeding maroon and gold, Jessica will be attending the University of Minnesota this fall. She hopes to pursue a career in the medical profession.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: Senior year Jessica developed her artistic skills in AP studio art and read several noteworthy novels in AP literature and composition. When she was not drawing or reading, she enjoyed studying the unique physiology of the human body for anatomy class. Outside of school Jessica served as a leader in the TIES program, continued her vice president position in Yellow Ribbon, and volunteered with the National Honor Society.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? Jessica’s most memorable high school experiences resulted from getting involved in sports and participating in various extracurriculars. She will definitely miss the unique school spirit at football games and pep fests.

Evan Kraljic
Parents: John and Nancy Kraljic
Future plans: Evan will be attending the University of Minnesota next fall. His intended major is chemical engineering. After college, he would like to work as a chemical engineer but does not have a specific industry he is interested in yet.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: Evan’s extracurricular activities in school include Spanish club and being a LINK leader. Out of school, Evan participated in house basketball and worked as a sales associate at Izod. He took AP literature and AP statistics as well as college physics and college Spanish his senior year.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? Being on house team 904 was a memorable experience for Evan. It was enjoyable because he got to play the sport he loves on a team with a lot of his friends.

Jessica Langbehn
Parents: Esmeralda and Jeff Langbehn
Future plans: She plans on attending the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and finding a career that involves Spanish.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: Jessica has been a part of many high school activities including LINK Crew, Prom Squad and band. She was the vice president of Spanish Club and co-captian of the girl’s basketball team her senior year.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? Her most memorable high school experiences include prom, homecoming, Spanish class with Profe Hardtke/Randall, and meeting her lifelong friends.

Daniel Lucas
Parents: Mark and Judy Lucas
Future plans: Daniel’s plans for the future are to attend the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. Daniel will pursue a finance degree and hopes to be able to start his own company after college. Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: Daniel focused on academics during his senior year and took challenging AP and college-level courses.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? Daniel’s most memorable high school experience was growing closer to his friends over the course of high school. Daniel enjoyed the bonds he shared with his close friends.

Breezy Meyer
Parents: Samm and Todd Meyer
Future plans: Breezy will be attending the University of California at Santa Barbara in the fall and will be majoring in communication. She plans to become a wedding planner in California after college. She also wants to travel as much as possible for education, volunteering or just for fun.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: Breezy was in three Advanced Placement classes this year including statistics, macroeconomics and literature. Her favorite class this year was either DECA 1 or Fashion Marketing 2. DECA was a very exciting part of Breezy’s senior year as well as Mock Trial, National Honor Society, SERVE and Link. She also had an amazing time making it to every varsity football game even if it was only for the last quarter.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? Her most memorable high school experience was going to Perkins after the football games and having so much fun with her friends drinking hot chocolate and eating whipped cream. Those are wonderful memories because of the great friends she has.

Erik Nyquist
Parents: Lee and Kris Nyquist
Future plans: Erik is planning on attending the University of Northwestern and playing baseball next year while pursuing a career in chemical engineering.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: Erik participated in varsity baseball while taking multiple AP and CIS classes, such as physics, statistics, English and Spanish.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? Erik’s most memorable high school experience was playing baseball all four years. He enjoyed competing with his teammates.

Kari Radke
Parents: Gary and Linda Radke
Future plans: Kari is attending South Dakota School of Mines and Technology this fall to pursue her interest in chemical engineering. She will also run for the cross-country and track teams. She hopes to get a job creating environmentally friendly products after college.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: Kari enjoyed being in AP chemistry and physics this past year. She has been involved in running varsity for the cross-country and track teams at ERHS. She also is in NHS.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? Kari’s most memorable high school experience has been the time she has spent with her sports teams. The meets, practices and pasta dinners are all wonderful memories. The friends she has met through track and cross-country have made this the most special high school experience.

Olivia Rossi
Parents: Mark and Sharon Rossi
Future plans: Olivia will be attending Viterbo University in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. She will initially major in biology and then apply for the clinical laboratory science program at the Mayo Clinic. Upon completion of the clinical laboratory program, Olivia would like to conduct clinical research in a laboratory or hospital environment to improve the lives of many patients.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: Olivia participated in AP calculus, human anatomy, AP studio art, general coursework in government along with media literacy and contemporary literature. As a Link Leader this past year, Olivia was also a member of the National Honor Society, Yellow Ribbon and Spanish Clubs at Elk River High School and also participated in the Just For Kix Dance Program.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? Olivia’s most memorable experience was being notified that she placed runner-up for grades 10-12 in the Scholastic MLK Day Poster drawing contest out of 4,000 in the entire United States. Her pencil drawing of Martin Luther King Jr. was highlighted during the ERHS Evening of the Arts event and was also documented in the Elk River Star Newspaper. This was a special honor for Olivia as the MLK print is now displayed in Washington, D.C., for the next year.

Isaac Schwab
Parents: Paul and Jody Schwab
Future plans: Isaac will be attending the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. He plans to major in computer engineering.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: Isaac was involved in a wide variety of activities throughout high school. This past year he played on the Elk River Varsity Hockey team, participated in DECA, National Honor Society, and took a variety of AP classes. Through his independent study, Isaac had the unique experience of working with the school’s first 3-D printer.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? Isaac’s most memorable high school experience was playing in Hockey Day Minnesota 2014 at the Handke Pit. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity for him, his team and the Elk River community. Teamwork was visible not only on the ice, but in all of the dedicated community members that made the day a huge success.

Grant Tesdahl
Parents: Brad and Jennifer Tesdahl
Future plans: Grant plans on attending the University of Wisconsin – Madison this fall to study engineering. Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: During senior year, Grant was in many fast-paced classes such as AP chemistry, AP statistics, and advanced marketing. He also was highly involved in extracurricular activities by holding leadership roles in clubs such as the Class President of Student Council, Treasurer of the National Honor Society, and VP of Member Communications in DECA.
What was your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? Grant’s most memorable high school experience was during his senior year pep fest, where he was elected as class president and announced the homecoming king. That day and his love for the senior class will never be forgotten.

Jonathan Tormoen
Parents: Todd and Lynne Tormoen
Future plans: Jonny plans on attending the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and major in computer science with a minor in mathematics.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: Jonny took many difficult courses this year including three AP classes, one S2S class, and an independent study course for calculus BC. Jonny has also participated in many extra­curricular including cross-country running, cross-country skiing, track, golf, and Math Team.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? Jonny’s most memorable high school experience was his senior year on the ski team when he skied in conference and later got to watch his teammates participate in the state race. This was a big accomplishment for Jonny as it was his last year on the team and he was good friends with the participants.

Sophia Zabee
Parents: Paul Zabee and Dawn Kultala
Future plans: Sophie plans to attend the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She will major in nursing and wants to become a pediatric nurse practitioner.
Highlight your involvement in high school classes and extra-curricular activities: Over the past year, Sophie was involved in numerous activities. She took a difficult course load that included her favorite class, CIS human anatomy. Sophie also participated in National Honor Society, Spanish Club, LINK, speech, track and field, dance at P.S. Dance Studio and volunteered on the nursing floors at Fairview Hospital.
What as your most memorable high school experience? Why was it special? Sophie’s most memorable experience was participating in speech and track & field. She enjoyed the sections trip to Grand Rapids with her speech team. Sophie also liked spending time with her friends in track and competing in discus and shot put, especially at True Team State in 10th and 11th grade.

by Debbie Griffin
Contributing Writer
The green-gowned graduates of Ivan Sand Community High School generated a dynamic energy that filled the air as they prepared to receive their diplomas 7 p.m. June 3 in the Zabee Theater at Elk River High School.

Ivan Sand Principal Tom Hoffman said 18 of the 23 graduating seniors “walked the stage,” and three of the graduates had just completed the requirements that day. With a total of one year at Ivan Sand and 31 years in education, the principal said a major goal and theme at the alternative high school is overcoming obstacles.

Photo by Victoria Rosenquist
Ivan Sand Community High School’s graduating class of 2014. From left to right are, in the front row, Taylor Osmonson and Hannah Gagliardi; second row, Megan Sandve, Nicholas Hillebrand, Courtney Cordell, Katelyn Bursch and Samantha McCartney; third row, Rachel Vatalaro, Erin Lehman, Destry Montgomery, John Sweeting, Haley Hernandez, Brielle Klier and Ashley Kies; back row, Robert Johnston, Taylor Pierson, June Schendel and Jeff Henry.

Graduates gathered in a small room for pictures, amazed at how tall high heels made some look and asking how to situate their mortarboard tassel.

Ivan Sand student master of ceremonies Natalie Wendt explained how students of the school had designed the yearbook, graduation program cover and the photo presentation. She said they also competed and placed at state academic competitions, lobbied for alternative education, volunteered to craft fleece blankets for a youth transitional-housing center, held fundraisers and blood drives and volunteered with the Feed My Starving Children program.

Wendt praised the relationships and connections between students and teachers and spoke highly of the Thanksgiving meal prepared and served at the school – a favorite day among students.

Graduate John Sweeting said he was glad to be standing there as a speaker because his story began at a time when he was failing and skipping school. When he did go, he’d sleep and generally didn’t care. Sweeting said all that changed when he started to go to Ivan Sand Community High School, saying the biggest difference was believing in himself again. He said, “I started to see my future.”

He learned not to give up and that hard work plus a positive attitude could pay off. Sweeting advised students not to let anyone tell them they can’t do something and most importantly, to believe in themselves.

Graduate Hannah Gagliardi described her condition at the time she started at ISCHS as a “train wreck.” She had no intent of graduating and didn’t want to get up in the morning.

After attending the school for a while, she said it felt like home and she learned how to feel proud again. She commended all her classmates for overcoming their own obstacles and the teachers and staff for their aide.

“They held us, helped us and pushed us through this journey,” Gagliardi said.

June Schendel said graduation and success go hand in hand but wondered how to define success. He said it seems to be picking a goal that may seem impossible then working toward it and achieving it. Schendel recognized graduation as one big step toward success and congratulated his classmates on taking it.

He said, “Here’s to everything we can possibly be.”

Haley Hernandez said she was two years behind when she started at the alternative high school and now recognizes how much the small class size and extra time with the teacher helped her. She described the ups and downs of starting to do well, then having setbacks with two deaths in the family and not being able to see the future.

Hernandez said despite it all, “Here I am.” She learned to persevere, believe in herself again and to lean on her mom, who encouraged her not to give up. The graduate said her education had lit a fire within her that will never go out.

Erin Lehman said when she started at Ivan Sand, she’d been skipping school, not doing homework and didn’t care. She wanted to drop out and get a GED and was skeptical about another school setting in which she probably wouldn’t fit.

She got to know the teachers at the school and got help for a substance-abuse problem and depression. Lehman described winning second place in a state math competition and earning college credit before graduation. She starts college in Anoka County soon and has goals to attend Georgetown University then open a public-relations firm.

Four graduates received one or two scholarships totaling $1,000: Nicolas Hillebrand, Taylor Osmonson, Haley Hernandez and Brielle Klier. Hoffman told the graduates they are indeed “surviving and thriving” and that they won’t regret the hard work they did to earn the diploma. The principal held up his own 1977 diploma from Princeton High School to emphasize his final point.

He said, “You have earned something that nobody can ever take away from you.”

by Bruce Strand

Sports Editor

Grant Tesdahl set his sights on being valedictorian at age 12 but never let his pursuit of this prize curtail his full enjoyment of high school.

Photo by Bruce Strand
Grant Tesdahl will pursue an engineering degree but loved tinkering in business with DECA.

Tesdahl, who led Elk River’s senior class of 408 students with a 4.151 GPA, also served as senior class president, (“Tes for Pres” was his campaign slogan), played in two state soccer tournaments and learned about the business world via participation in DECA, among other activities.

“Valedictorian was always a goal for me,” said Tesdahl, “ever since sixth grade. I’ve always paid close attention to it. As soon as I got the No. 1 spot, I knew that I was going to stay there. … I’ve been very, very lucky and very well-mentored by parents and teachers.”

Tesdahl never went the PSEO route of taking college classes on a college campus during high school to get a head start on college credits, which is fairly common among ambitious students.

“No, I enjoyed the social aspect of high school too much,” Tesdahl said. “And I knew I could get the credits here (at ERHS) without being away from my friends and spending all that money on gas.”

Tesdahl plans to major in engineering at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Specifically what field of engineering he doesn’t know yet; at UW you can take a year exploring all the options, he said.

While he doesn’t plan to go into business, one of his favorite experiences was a Hockey Day Minnesota project through DECA as part of a four-person team setting up a clothing stand at this major state event hosted by Elk River in January.

“We did market research to determine what type of clothing would sell and pricing and what vendors to use,” he said, “and did promotions though the school and outlets in the city. On Hockey Day, we set up a tent and worked 12 hours each. Then we wrote up a big 30-page analysis of the project.”

The group must have done well, considering all the Hockey Day apparel seen around town in January.

“Grant is a well-rounded student, taking both elective and AP courses, appreciating what both areas had to offer,” said Sonja Weiler, DECA teacher. “He is a natural salesman and driven to achieve. He relates to and is respected by all peer groups within the school. It has been a privilege to work with Grant and watch him grow as a young professional over the past two years.”

Tesdahl never had less than an “A” in high school, although it wasn’t until he took his final test, in economics, on Tuesday that the principal’s office could officially declare him valedictorian. As usual, there was a tight race.

Advanced marketing and three Advanced Placement classes — chemistry, calculus, and physics — are listed as favorite classes for Tesdahl, who simply enjoys almost everything he studies.

Asked if he had  a least favorite class he couldn’t name one, but listed AP computer science as the hardest.

“It’s a different way of thinking that is challenging. Totally different than math,” Tesdahl said. To help better understand the subject and get his customary “A,” he teamed with a friend to make a program for translating words and phrases into 16 languages quickly.

A one-sport athlete, Tesdahl had a rich experience as an Elk soccer player. He played in state tournaments in ninth grade as a substitute and 12th grade as a senior co-captain. Stationed at center midfield, he had three goals and helped the Elks post a 13-4-3 record his senior year.

Tesdahl went to Boys State last summer. Activities also include National Honor Society, TIES (mentoring struggling freshmen, traffic safety) and DECA (vice president for communications).

Tesdahl, son of Brad and Jennifer, said there was one previous valedictorian in the family tree, a great-grandfather in a small Iowa town.

Valedictorians are often asked how they can keep getting all those A’s, despite the challenges. In Tesdahl’s case, studying is so second-nature that he had to think about that for a moment. But he came up with two basic tenets.

“For one, I always take notes in class, and when I go home, I read through those notes, so I can retain the material the next day. Also, whenever the teacher suggests reading, say, 20 pages in the textbook, I always read the whole thing. … I need the information right in front of me like that. This is time-consuming, but it pays off.”

by Rachel Finkbeiner

Staff Intern

Jenny Day maintained a perfect record of all A’s at Rogers High School while finding time for her love of art and to make an impact on her school and community.

Photo by Bruce Strand
Jenny Day enjoys arts projects, like this pole she helped decorate, but her career goal is biology research.

The 2014 valedictorian was co-president of Rogers’ chapter of National Art Honor’s Society. Beyond creating a greater appreciation of art and visiting museums, the group tries to create art inside the school.

This year, the group transformed one of the school’s blank white pillars into an underwater escape. They also decorated soup bowls that were auctioned off to raise money to fight hunger.

“She’s never afraid to try something new. She is hardworking and creative,” said Su Sebghati, her art teacher. “She’s had a great impact on this school.”

Day, who recently got second place in the congressional district for her drawing of the stone arch bridge in Minneapolis, enjoys painting in her free time, but she took relatively few art courses.

Her class load included seven of the eight Advanced Placement classes available.

Biology is her favorite.

“I found everything just interesting and complex,” Day said. “There’s so much we don’t know about biology and how the human body works.”

Day earned a 4.142 GPA to rank first among 325 students. That’s an honor that wasn’t planned, although she recalled friends her freshman year telling her that she would end up valedictorian.

“It just kind of worked out that way,” Day said. “I knew I wanted to get all A’s. So valedictorian just kind of came around for me that way.”

Her activities included National Honor Society, where she enjoyed dressing as a Jedi for the Halloween food drive; LEOS, a community service program; the Link freshman orientation program; and Knowledge Bowl competition.

She has also worked eight to 20 hours a week at Malmborg’s Garden Center and Greenhouse during high school.

These activities didn’t leave much time for studying, but Day didn’t need much time to study.

“I’m one of those people that other people hate because I just absorb it,” Day said. She views this as a gift to be shared, and she has tutored and aided her classmates.

For her valedictory address, Day will share multiple views on what it means to be the Rogers Class of 2014. She put out a poll on Facebook asking classmates what to include.

“It’s not my speech, it’s not for me to talk about myself; it’s for my class,” Day said. “So I thought the more people that had input in it, the better it would turn out.”

Day will attend the University of Wisconsin in Madison — where her parents, David and Renee, met — to study molecular biology. She hopes for a career in biology research.

For personal favorites, Day mentioned being a bit of a nerd and enjoying movies such as “Star Wars,” “Star Trek,” and the Marvel series; kickball on Tuesdays with her friends; and the artist Van Gogh, especially his painting “Starry Night. “

Day will bring her art along to Madison. After a trip to New York and a tour the Metropolitan Museum of Art, she was inspired to paint city scenes. She’ll decorate her dorm room with them, along with paintings of flowers from the greenhouse where she works.

by Bruce Strand

Sports Editor

David Molinari, who clearly knows his way around a golf course, has been hitting fairways and his sinking putts in the classroom, too, throughout his school days.

Photo by Bruce Strand David Molinari excelled in golf and in the classroom at Zimmerman.

The best golfer in District 728 this spring is Zimmerman’s valedictorian with a 4.1 GPA, leading a class of 149 students. He’s never earned less than an “A.”

“Valedictorian is something I’ve always worked for. I just thought it would be a cool thing to put on my college resume,” said Molinari, goal-oriented in both academics and athletics.

Kurran Sagan, golf coach and health education teacher, knows what makes Molinari successful.

“David is one of the most deliberate and hardest-working student-athletes I have ever been around,” Sagan assessed. “Everything he does is calculated and for the right reason.”

Molinari will attend the University of Minnesota and major in biomedical engineering. He’s leaning toward engineering as a career, with medical school also a possibility. His parents are Chuck and Kathy, and he has an older brother, Josh.

“He was an absolute pleasure to teach,” Sagan said. “Not only incredibly smart, but such a genuine human being who is willing to help where help is needed, and always do the right thing.”

Molinari’s favorite line of study is math, with AP Calculus and AP Statistics his favorite classess.

“I really enjoyed learning about the electron transport chain and the metabolic process in biology in 10th grade,” he said, when asked about a favorite school project.

Is there a least favorite class?

“Not really,” Molinari said. “Any time you’re able to learn something new, there’s always an exciting quality to it.”

Molinari’s game plan, easier said than done, is to “pay attention in class, do all your homework and put in all the time you need to understand the material.”

On the golf course, Molinari ranked second in the Granite Ridge Conference this year and averaged 78.4 for the season overall. He was fourth in the conference as a junior.

The most fun he had in high school, Molinari said, were overnight golf trips to Brainerd for tournaments at The Preserve the past two years. That’s also where he shot the two best rounds of his career, 73 as a junior (the school record) and 74 this year.

Also a basketball player, Molinari was cut from the squad as a sophomore, but, showing his usual determination, stuck with the sport and was a starter at guard every game his senior year.

Molinari said his valedictory address will “focus on doing what makes you happy, because life is too short.”

His plans for the summer are working at the Dairy Queen and “playing a lot of golf.”

by Bruce Strand

Sports Editor

Alyssa Spofford has excelled in music and theater while leading her class academically as well. Spectrum’s valedictorian plans to keep singing, but her focus now will be pursuit of a medical career.

Photo by Bruce Strand
Good Witch Glinda was one of the roles in Spectrum theatre played by Alyssa Spofford, whose goal is a medical career.

“What I’d like to be is a pediatric cardiologist,” said Spofford.

Biology and chemistry were the Zimmerman resident’s favorite classes, with math also ranking high. She will major in biochemistry and pre-med at Bethel College.

Spofford, daughter of Craig and Kara, compiled a 4.085 GPA, leading a class of 44, via sheer determination as much as anything.

“I have an issue with getting low grades,” Spofford explained. “That’s not something I’m OK with.”

There’s a personal reason for her specific career choice. Her grandmother suffered from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is also known as a silent killer of young athletes. It’s hereditary, so Alyssa had to be checked for it at age 13 (she was negative).

The Spectrum community will remember Spofford more for her clear, soaring voice and the sensitivity she brought to roles like the patient Mother Abbess in “The Sound of Music” this spring. Her rendition of “Climb Every Mountain” was a show-stopper.

Asked what was most fun for her at SHS, Spofford declared, “Music and theater, most definitely.”

Her roles also included Good Witch Glinda in “The Wizard of Oz,” the Ladybug in “James and the Giant Peach” and Marcie in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.”

She sang with the choir and chamber choir all four years. She hopes to join the Bethel choir “as a stress reliever.”

Spectrum choir director Marsha Kirkpatrick said Spofford took a leadership role right away in the alto section as a freshman.

“As she matured and studied voice, her confidence grew, as well as her vocal range,” Kirkpatrick said. “She ended her career at Spectrum as a leader in the first soprano section. Her range and skill were evident in ‘Climb Every Mountain,’ a physically challenging and demanding piece.”

Spectrum requires a senior project. Not surprisingly, hers was music-oriented. She learned eight vocal pieces and sang for residents of four nursing homes. She organized small fundraisers at school that generated $150 for the music department and hosted the senior voice recital in October.

“She is a lovely young lady,” Kirkpatrick said, “who will go far in whatever she chooses to do.”

One non-music project she enjoyed at SHS was a study of mass communication and social media and their long-term effects. Using a pickle jar for her presentation, she warned that “we may end up locked in our own little glass jars, and not interacting with people.”

Spofford’s methodology for straight A’s was: “Keep up with homework, get absolutely everything in on time, study for tests, and really attempt to learn the material, even if it’s boring.”

Climb every mountain, ford ever stream, Follow every rainbow, Till you find your dream.

Asked if she’s a climb-every-mountain kind of girl herself, Spofford smiled confidently, and answered, “Oh, I’d certainly like to think so!”

The number of moms returning to college to complete their degrees is higher than ever. With flexible, high-caliber programs now available online, more moms are choosing to earn their degrees online in order to balance family time and work commitments with school. Arizona State University Online, one of the country’s leading online programs, offers the flexibility moms need to earn their degrees and advance in their careers, which 56 percent of moms surveyed noted as a top motivating factor for returning to school.

by Paul Rignell

Contributing Writer

The Elk River Area School Board agreed June 23 to present $104 million in bond and levy questions before all district voters next Election Day.

Officials will enter the 2014-15 school year with intent to address space needs at Rogers High School and elsewhere in the southern end of the district, which has seen the steadiest growth for consecutive years. At minimum, the district is planning to build a third wing for classrooms at Rogers High School along with additions at two elementary schools. The new construction at the high school would increase the building’s design capacity by nearly half to make room for 1,750 students.

Those plans alone will raise taxes on all single-family home properties in District 728, starting with the year payable 2015, but officials say the tax increase generally would be lower with voter passage of two referendum questions in November.

In the first question, the district will ask voters to approve $6 million in operating levy dollars. That amount would include about $2 million for general operations of the new space at Rogers High School and elementary additions, $1 million for reducing class sizes elsewhere by adding teachers, and $3 million for expanding school technology.

Voters would need to approve those requests for the second question’s results to count. The second question will call for $98 million in bonding to support the new wing at Rogers High School and an additional K-5 school building in Otsego (in place of expansion at existing elementary schools).

Otsego also would get a middle school campus and an early childhood learning center. The Rogers and Zimmerman communities would get early childhood centers and high school auditoriums.

High school renovations in Elk River and Zimmerman would include classrooms specifically for physics and chemistry at Zimmerman, where the existing school was designed as a middle school. Athletic program additions would include a new wrestling room and more indoor court space at Elk River along with conversion of some grass fields to synthetic turf.

Officials estimate that with approval of both questions in November, annual school taxes would rise by $43 for a single-family lot valued at $250,000 (which is considered average for the district).

Annual school taxes actually would drop by an estimated $65 for a commercial or industrial property valued at $250,000. Those lots are affected differently by the alternative facilities levy that is now in place but would be removed with approval of both questions in November.

Without approval for those questions, officials would plan to implement and utilize maximum lease levies for funding construction at Rogers High School and two elementary schools. The state allows districts to issue lease levies without voter approval. A formula gives greater lease levy capacity to larger school districts based on their pupil unit numbers, and District 728 has been operating below its allotted capacity.

However, officials say that raising lease levies to meet needs in the Rogers and Otsego areas would add another $36 to school taxes for an average-valued home (for a total increase of $79) while increasing commercial and industrial taxes by $142 (for a $250,000 lot) rather than reducing them.

Other board action

Board members approved general and community service fund budgets, which are due to the state June 30, for 2014-15. The budgets were approved with $2.4 million in reductions.

The district is projecting revenues of roughly $134 million to include $109.4 million in general state aid, $18.36 million in local property taxes and $3.5 million in federal support. Elk River Area Schools would end the upcoming fiscal year with an increase in general fund reserves after projected expenses of $131.5 million including $75.7 million for salaries and wages, $27.5 million for employee benefits and $14.16 million for purchased services.

Board Member Jolene Jorgensen moved to transfer $600,000 from $9.9 million in undesignated fund reserves into the general fund to create new teaching posts for reduction of class sizes. The $600,000 is equal to an approximate increase in funding that the district will receive from the state. Executive Director of Business Services Greg Hein explained that as the latest contract with district teachers would give incoming teachers salary and benefit packages ranging from $60,000 to $65,000, the transfer would allow for up to 10 new teachers.

He further explained, however, that little more than 60 percent or about $370,000 of the $600,000 increase would be “permanent” money coming from a boost of 2 percent in regular state aid. The remaining $230,000 in new state aid will be “one-time” funding coming for teacher evaluation, Hein said.

Jorgensen’s budget amendment failed for lack of support from other board members.

Sue Farber said she would have been more inclined to support a board amendment for transferring only the new $370,000 in “permanent” money from reserves to the general fund.

Board members seemed to concur they would be open to moving dollars for creating new positions in a few months if those moves would be warranted by higher enrollment figures that will be clearer in the fall. “It’s easier to add (positions, than subtract),” Board Member Tony Walter said.

•The board voted to keep school meal prices steady from 2013-2014 for the coming year. That will keep individual breakfasts at $1.05 and lunch at $2.50 for elementary schools, and breakfast at $1.15 and lunch at $2.60 in the secondary buildings.

Board members said during a workshop June 16 that they were not interested in raising meal prices for 2014-2015 in light of changes and reductions that will be required for a la carte offerings in secondary buildings to keep in step with the federal Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act.

Farber asked if district food staff could direct the fall’s program changes to be promoted on individual school Web pages. Food Service Manager Julee Miller replied that she is establishing a communications plan with district marketing staff.

Miller added that the federal changes will prohibit school students from using some fundraisers that were popular in the past, such as sales of root beer floats during homecoming weeks or distribution of “candy-grams” near Valentine’s Day.

Farber shook her head and said, “That’s really getting down to the nitty-gritty of micromanaging.”

•Board members approved a land swap with the St. Michael-Albertville School District concerning a tract that Mattamy Homes is planning to develop in Otsego.

Each district currently holds claim to parts of the land, but the land swap would give the districts portions that would fit better geographically for both of them. Based on the developer’s early plans, District 728 would end up with a similar number of new homes.

The St. Michael-Albertville board had yet to vote on the matter when the Elk River board made its decision.

Commissioners from Wright County then would get six months for review.

The names of three students from Elk River will be forever etched on record in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Sarah Merkling, Jenna Olawsky and Elizabeth Rumreich joined nearly 3,000 students from all over the world to participate in the annual National History Day Contest in Washington, D.C.

Rep. Michelle Bacmann read their accomplishment into the record earlier this year before connecting with the trio Monday in St. Micheal at a groundbreaking ceremony for an additional lane on Interstate 94.

Merkling, Olawsky and Rumreich represented Minnesota after winning first place in the Junior Division (middle school) in the Performance Category.

“These three girls just completed sixth grade, which is the first year of eligibility for the competition,” Bachmann state on the House floor. “By winning first at the state level, they outperformed over 300 other sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade teams from around the state.”

Their performance, “Canoes and Controversy: Paddling Through the Environmental Movement in Minnesota,” addressed the different sentiments surrounding the Boundary Waters Canoe Area as seen through the eyes of an environmentalist, a businessman and a news reporter from 1927 through today.

Bachmann asked Speaker of the House John Boehner and the House of Representatives to join her in honoring the three for representing “Minnesota’s rich history and heritage and for setting such a great academic example.”