ZOO LOU of St. Paul writes: “Subject: Babe Ruth and My First Home Run.
“It was the first Saturday in June of 1957, and I was pedaling my bike fast and furiously down Third Street on St. Paul’s East Side to Parkway Little League, not wanting to be late for the big day of tryouts.
“What I encountered at this field of dreams was a rambunctious group of 8- and 9-year-olds, brimming with the unbridled energy of wild horses, all vying for a spot on teams with such scintillating names as the Chicks, Robins, Vols and Owls.
“It was the commanding presence of Mr. Mincher, longtime leader and mentor at Parkway, and some volunteer dads who managed to get everyone registered and organized into groups.
“I started out in center, and almost immediately a wave of self-consciousness swept over me. Duct tape covered the holes in my tennis shoes, patches covered the holes in my jeans, and my glove was this overstuffed monstrosity that kept slipping off my hand. But when I caught two fly balls, my confidence soared.
“After patrolling the outfield, I was about to face my biggest test. There I was in the on-deck circle, nervous as all get-out. Suddenly, I remembered the stories my dad and uncles told me about Babe Ruth, the Sultan of Swat, the mighty Bambino, the greatest home run hitter of all time, stepping to the plate before 60,000 roaring fans at Yankee Stadium.
“I closed my eyes and imagined the Babe standing next to me. ‘Just relax, kid, and keep your eye on the ball,’ he said with a wink. ‘You can do it.’
“After some swings and misses, I was down to my last chance. Taking a deep breath, I glared defiantly at the pitcher, tightened my grip, and, with one Ruthian swing, drilled a hard liner to left field. Racing to first base, it felt like my tennis shoes, duct tape and all, were gliding above the ground. I was the happiest kid on the face of the Earth.
“Mr. Mincher patted me on the back and told me to stay alert and run the bases like a real game. A soft grounder got me to second, and a bloop fly got me to third. One base to go.
“Peering anxiously down the line, who did I see coming to bat but good friend Terry ‘Trucker’ Truhler. And he wasted no time belting a sinking liner to right. I took off for home like Jackie Robinson and jumped on the plate with a resounding ‘THUD’!
“‘I hit a home run! I hit a home run!’ I shouted over and over, pumping my fist in the air. ‘We did it, Babe!’
“Basking in the glow of my prodigious feat, I didn’t realize the other players were looking at me like I was some sort of nut. When I got home, I continued to boast about my home run, until all the kids, with equal parts amusement and sarcasm, explained to me what a home run really was. Needless to say, I felt pretty silly and embarrassed.
“But just to indulge a young (now very old) man’s fancy: I still truly believe I hit a home run that June day in 1957. And Babe Ruth was with me.”
See world
From ARDEN HILLS SWEDE (f.k.a. MOUNDS VIEW SWEDE): “I’ve been watching the pond near the front of our New Perspective Senior Living home in Arden Hills and was delighted one early-spring day to see the turtles all out and sunning themselves on a sunny day.
“The most I’ve counted at one time is 17, but another resident counted 18. I feel very fortunate to be in a place with a lot of nature nearby. so I can continue to get photos to share with Bulletin Board. I’ve been lax in actually sending them, but I hope to get more ‘with it’ now.”
Life (and possibly impending death) as we know it
JOHN IN HIGHLAND: “Subject: Aurora Borealis.
“There are days in every person’s memory that are so significant that one will never forget them. Recent sightings of the Aurora Borealis brought back such a memory for me.
“May 12, 1969, was the day that I was drafted into the U.S. Army. A group of 30 of us civilians got to shake hands with Mayor Tom Byrne at the St. Paul Armory before being bused to the train depot in Minneapolis. There we would await the start of a train ride to Fort Lewis, Washington.
“The train took 36 hours to reach the West Coast. I believe that it was the same train that was advertised as the ‘Vistadome North Coast Limited.’ Most of us took advantage of the dome car to watch the passing scenery. As the night grew dark across the fields of North Dakota, we were aware of a light show on the northern horizon. It was the first time I had ever seen the Northern Lights. The next day, the train made a brief stop in Havre, Montana. I took the chance to jump off and buy a newspaper. The headline read: ‘Nixon Announces Reduction of Troop Level in Vietnam’!
“On the third day, we pulled into the Seattle train depot, not knowing our fate, but wanting to get on with it.”
Please release me!
THE DORYMAN of Prescott, Wisconsin: “Subject: Long Lived The Queen Earworm.
“My little brain was playing ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ from 1 a.m. to the break of day, today:
“MOMMMAA, I CAN’T GET TO SLEEP!
“You’ve been playing in my head,
“Ever since I’ve gone to bed . . .
“MOMMMAA, I CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE!
“I just toss and turn all night,
“Waiting for the morning’s light . . .
“Well, it goes on and on, but you get the picture.”
Everyone’s a critic! Architecture Division (including: There’s nothin’ like a simile!)
GRANDPA BOB reports: “Nine-year-old Sam, commenting on fast-food architecture, said: ‘I like the older McDonald’s. They look like a happy kid. The newer ones, the flat and dark ones, look like a depressed adult who doesn’t like their job.’”
The sign on the road to the cemetery said “Dead End” . . . Electronic Board of the Church on Lexington in Shoreview Division
Our Official Electronic Board of the Church on Lexington in Shoreview Monitor — RED’S OFFSPRING, north of St. Paul — reports: “Subject: Good advice.
“This is the most recent message on the electronic board of the church on Lexington in Shoreview:
“‘SMILE . . . HAPPINESS LOOKS
“‘GORGEOUS ON YOU’”
Now & Then
RIVERMOUSE: “I did something last night that I haven’t done since I was a kid — 70 years ago or so. I popped kernels in a saucepan on my stove.
“Turfman’s cousin Paul, thanking Turfman more than two years ago for the genealogy manuscript Turfman had emailed him, gave us the kernels from his farm, along with some homemade summer sausage and maple syrup, when we were in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, for cousin Arnolda’s birthday party. We quickly devoured the summer sausage (it was better than Schmidt’s in Nicollet!) and syrup, but the popcorn just sat there over the years in its little plastic container while I munched on store-bought kernels popped in microwavable bags.
“Maybe two nights of thunderstorms, followed yesterday by a massive black cloud labeled ‘tornado watch’ speeding closely over the top of our house, inspired me to risk popping Paul’s kernels the way Mom used to pop ours (except Mom’s saucepan lid had a pan stirrer attached to its knob). In heated-till-it-shimmered slightly salted olive oil, I spread a single layer of kernels and lidded the pan. Much to this city girl’s amazement and delight, in less than a minute I heard a pop, and then another and another! Just like in the olden days. Lacking Mom’s stirrer lid, I lifted the pan slightly and shook it over the hot burner until the popping stopped. Then I lifted the lid: My pan was full of fluffy whites! Yum! No mystery ingredients and, after reheating the dozen laggards at the bottom, my layer yielded 100 percent edible.
“That was more than enough excitement for one day.”
The passing show
BILL OF THE RIVER LAKE reports: “While camping in Sauk Centre over the Mother’s Day weekend, we stopped at the local DQ for a treat. All went well, and just as we were leaving, the entire local high-school boys’ baseball team flooded in, taking up the whole store. There must have been 25 boys, all very hungry after winning their ballgame 12-1.
“I suggested to them that the winning pitcher and the player who hit a grand slam deserved a double treat.
“Pity the customers who arrived a minute after the players.”
CAUTION! Words at Play!
THE DRAGON LADY of Inver Grove Heights: “Here is a cute little story I like to tell about two brooms that were going to be married soon.
“One day, the bride broom said to the groom broom: ‘You know, I have something to tell you. We are going to have a little whisk broom.’
“The groom broom looked at the bride broom with astonishment. ‘Wha . . . what? Why, that’s impossible! We haven’t even swept together yet!”
Life as we know it
AUCTION GIRL writes: “Subject: AG does PT.
“Several lifetimes ago, Auction Girl left Pine Island and found a job at Little Store on the prairie. Actually, they were desperate for help during COVID. The manager hired her based on one call, and AG dreamed of running their mini-donut machine. Dang, no more mini-donuts made in store. But can ya bag groceries?
“OK. For the last several years, it’s been a blast. Getting up before dawn, cutting through snowfalls, rain, vacation-boat traffic and working from open till afternoon. You meet so many people and hear a lot of stories.
“AG felt a little off one day. She’d had a stroke. It was strangely like being exhausted, and feeling drunk. No fanfare or pain, just a weird disconnect from the world of balance.
“It ended up at a big hospital, and AG had to relearn to use a fork and other stuff. The customers at Little Store, their kids, the workers and of course Good Driver of St. Everywhere and family sent prayers, wishes, good vibes to her.
“Everything moves slower now. The sun still comes up. AG can still remember Pete Seeger’s song ‘Turn, Turn, Turn’ and hopes to be able to play it again and maybe sing, too.
“Please be aware of what a stroke may look like. Call 9-1-1 if you have or witness one.”
Life (and death) as we know it . . . Plus: The simple pleasures — and: The highfalutin displeasures (responsorial)
BIRDWATCHER IN LA CRESCENT: “Subject: Hello, again.
“It has been way too long since I have corresponded with Bulletin Board, but life got in the way.
“COVID came, and we all had to deal with that — some who received the ugly germ, and others who witnessed those people from afar.
“In 2021, my groom of 61 years fell while outside walking and suffered a traumatic brain injury and brain bleed. While in the hospital for 76 days, he then experienced having a pacemaker inserted, suffered a small stroke and a heart attack.
“The writing was on the wall: We have to move and get out of this large two-story house with all the stairs. So, we moved to a twin home with zero steps, out in the country of La Crescent. I said when we moved: Now I know why we had four children — so we would have help moving when we got old.
“Behind us is prairie restoration, with lots of wildlife to view. We kept saying, ‘Why didn’t we do this years ago?’ Oh yeah, twin homes weren’t built here years ago.
“My groom passed away late fall of 2023, so I am now learning a new life.
“My simple pleasure this spring has been that I bought a bluebird house after seeing a bluebird glide by. Within three days after I attached the house onto the side of the shed, Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird took up residency, and on Sunday during the all-day rain, they left their cozy confines.
“Last year we had sandhill cranes behind our home, and our daughter named then Frasier and Niles. They had two little fuzzy, yellow ones they brought for us to see, but one day there was only one, and the next day Frasier and Niles were alone — so sad, but that’s nature.
“I totally agree with TWITTY of Como: Music isn’t necessary for most documentaries — and if they think it is, how about turning the volume down so we can hear the commentator, whose voice should be louder than the music. I have closed-captioning on all the time, as my ears don’t hear as well as they should, even with hearing aids. And I don’t want to turn my volume up to my level of hearing, because I am sure the neighbors across the street don’t want to hear what I am watching.
“Thank you for all the BB entries. They are so enjoyable.”
BULLETIN BOARD SAYS: Thank you, ma’am. And welcome back!
BAND NAME OF THE DAY: The Overstuffed Monstrosities
This Father’s Day, we must confront a national reality – we are failing new fathers.
Though there has been increasing awareness of the mental health challenges faced by postpartum mothers, too often fathers are left behind. Approximately 1 in 3 fathers are at-risk for postpartum depression, and the risk is closer to 1 in 2 in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), where we work. Mental health symptoms are so common that some NICUs, including ours locally, have begun to systematically include fathers in routine mental health screening when their babies have prolonged hospitalizations. Unfortunately, significant gaps in screening fathers beyond the hospital and health coverage means their symptoms often go untreated.
Mentally healthy fathers improve father-baby interactions, infant development, and the emotional-behavioral health of younger children. As pediatricians who specialize in the care of critically ill newborns, we see firsthand the difficulty dads confront in balancing care for their babies and partners, often with little time off work. When fathers experience postpartum depression, the risk their partners will experience symptoms increases. We must remember that support for paternal mental health benefits moms, too.
Though the American Academy of Pediatrics has called for screening all parents whose infants require care in the NICU for postpartum depression, significant barriers exist. Pediatricians are not paid to coordinate mental health referrals for the large number of eligible parents they encounter. Battling the stigma of mental health issues, particularly for fathers, also takes a great deal of time that is uncompensated. Lack of routine screening for fathers after their babies go home from the hospital creates missed opportunities to normalize, educate, and connect fathers to treatment, leaving them and their young families to fend for themselves in a system where mental health care is increasingly hard to access.
Options are limited for fathers seeking mental health care, many of whom do not have insurance or primary-care physicians. While most states, including Minnesota, have extended Medicaid coverage to mothers for a year, no such provision exists for fathers. Extending to dads the same duration of Medicaid coverage after the birth of their newborns would be one large step state governments could make in caring for new fathers.
This Father’s Day, we should guarantee every dad access to mental health screening and the ability to receive treatment in their baby’s first year. The father’s health, baby’s health, and their family’s health will be better for it.
Dr. Sarah Swenson MD, DPhil, FAAP, is a Rhodes Scholar and neonatal-perinatal medicine fellow in Minnesota. Dr. Shetal Shah MD, FAAP, is head of the national Pediatric Policy Council. Both are members of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
“Age” is a hot issue. Full disclosure: I’m 83. If you stop reading, I understand. Before stopping, perhaps you’ll find this excerpt as enlightening as it is provocative:
“Is there, in all republics, this inherent and fatal weakness? … Must a government, of necessity, be too strong for the liberties of its own people, or too weak to maintain its own existence?” (President Abraham Lincoln’s July 4, 1861, message to Congress).
Lincoln nails our “fatal weakness” predicament: “government” and our “liberties” are in a stand-off. Law professor and author Noah Feldman dates it back to the nation’s founding:
“The expansion of the United States … posed a fundamental problem for the slavery compromise reached by the framers in Philadelphia. They had done their best to balance the relative power of free and slave states. The fact that all the states then existing had ratified the Constitution showed that their compromise was satisfactory for white voters in their generation … But each time a state was added, it had the potential to change the balance of power between the free and slave states.” (Page 40, “The Broken Constitution”)
Pause and reflect for a moment on the words enshrined in 1776’s Declaration of Independence:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness”.
The Declaration’s glowing “truths” failed severely just a decade or so later at the Constitutional Convention. Enslavers won. Slaves lost, victims of a compromise (and exclusion from “these truths”) accepted by the framers as the cost of a new Constitution ultimately ratified by the states.
Fast forward. To this day many of us are convinced government’s gain in power shrinks our liberty, a zero-sum outcome. That conviction fits Lincoln’s “fatal weakness” of a “too strong” government overwhelming people’s liberty. Consider, too, that many of us are convinced every gain in our liberty is a good thing, especially if our “win” equals a loss or restriction of government’s power. This fits Lincoln’s “fatal weakness” of a government eventually “too weak to maintain its existence” against unrestrained pursuit of life, liberty and happiness.
In a freedom-loving republic (inclusive of all of us, not just some of us) the continually open political questions are: How much government power is too much power? How much liberty is too much liberty?
Lincoln’s “ask” is timeless. Early on, Ben Franklin, (leaving the Constitutional Convention) reportedly answered, “a republic if you can keep it”, to the question, “what kind of government do we have, Mr. Franklin?” “If you can keep it” spotlights every generation’s fundamental job of balancing power and liberty. If We The People (all of us) don’t get the balancing right, we’re sweeping into history’s dustbin the whole idea of self-governance, proving Ben’s warning was spot-on and we’re republic-keeper failures.
Our republic’s inventors handed future generations the power to keep it and, ominously, the liberty to reject it. As some founders aged, they worried the next generation wasn’t up to the job of keeping it. Decades later their early concern was validated when a bunch of states decided they had an “unalienable” right to secede in pursuit of life, liberty and happiness.
Lincoln and 700,000 Civil War battle deaths limited liberty’s reach. Excluded was an “unalienable” right to secede in pursuing life, liberty and happiness. The “Union” prevailed. Assassin John Wilkes Booth took exception. In a rage of passion over reason, he felt his liberty demanded Lincoln’s murder. Lincoln, a few weeks previously, in his second inaugural address, hoping to unify a broken nation, said “with malice toward none with charity for all … let us strive on … to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”
For that Lincoln got a bullet in the head as an enraged Booth shouted “sic semper tyrannis” (thus to all tyrants), convinced his “liberty” outranked Lincoln’s right to life. The nation, plodding on, slowly adopted (Historian Shelby Foote notes) the singular form of reference, “United States is”, replacing the plural, “United States are” on its meandering calf path balancing “power” and “liberty” to this day.
In our “Lincoln” moment, we own the republic-keeping job and the balancing work. So, dear readers, how do we propose resolving our frightful predicament? Yes, our republic’s well over two centuries old, which is encouraging but not decisive. For many of us its survival seems tenuous. Key questions demand our enlightened answers:
Will our collective good will and good faith wisely avoid a “fatal weakness” disaster? Or will viral distrust, ill will and bad faith be our master?
Sustaining our self-governance depends on all of us, including you. It’s our path to achieving “life, liberty and happiness” for all of us, not just some of us. We own the judgment our kids, grandkids and great grandkids render. At 83 I tremble at the prospect of my great grandkids asking:
Great Grandpa, your generation’s lives span almost a third of our nation’s existence. On an “A” to “F” scale, how do you grade your generation’s “keeping” of our republic? And why?
John Demma of Eagan is a student of U.S. democracy.
These 2024 high school graduates can look back with pride as we salute them in our annual tribute to academic excellence.
Each year, we ask schools in the east metro and western Wisconsin to send names of their top graduates, however they define them. Some designate valedictorians and salutatorians, others award “cum laude” honors. Some choose a Top 10 or a percentage of the class.
For those who send us a smaller list, we invite them to include information about the students’ parents, their plans for the future, and their favorite quotes.
The inspirational words this year come from the Bible and the Quran, from writers and poets and musicians, from athletes and public figures.
Among our favorites:
“Failing at something is the best way to learn what it takes to succeed at it,” from Summer Sanders, a medalist in swimming at the 1992 Olympics.
“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure,” from Colin Powell, former U.S. secretary of state.
“There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal,” from the late American writer Toni Morrison.
And as a closing note to the honored graduates, this from the late Minor Myers Jr., president of Illinois Wesleyan University from 1989 to 2003: “Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.”
AFSA, Vadnais Heights
Tyler Courtney
Parents: Celia Courtney, Kevin Courtney
College, major: University of Minnesota, sports management
Alex Harstad
Parents: Dana Harstad, Tim Harstad
College, major: University of Wisconsin-River Falls, horticulture
Isabel Shumye
Parents: Helen Beyene, Mesfin Negia
College, major: University of Minnesota, pre-dentistry
Nicholas Randall
Parents: Nancy Randall, Bill Randall
College, major: University of Minnesota, product design
Antonio Adaya Ramirez
Parents: Gina Adaya Ramirez, Sergio Adaya Ramirez
College, major: St. Paul College, carpentry
AGAPE, St. Paul
Distinguished graduates: Aelyn Hernandez Hurtado, Paw Shee Kpulue, Naira Laureano, Savanah Lee, Ma Tha Da Tun, Larisia Williams
Apple Valley
Summa cum laude
Graceanne Abbas, Emily Aucapina Jara, Carter Austin, Dominic Bauer, Carson Bothof, Melina Cha, Vivian Chen, Ashlyn Derosier, Anna Dorson, Ileyah Doualeh, Gavin Ehlers, Anya Gann, Augustus Garcia, Walter Haakenson, Evan Haley, Lauren Hoyt, Colin Kahle, Muntas Kiyton, Breanna Klobe, Hannah Krohn, Rileigh Lamberson, Joven Langseth, Dylan Lawrence, Jack Lewandowski, Kyen Lundgren, Gwen Marcott, Zoey Meier, Aaliah Moallim, Alexandre Mock, Muna Mohamud, Cindy Narvaez-Barbecho, Megan Nguyen, Andrew Prochnow, Pierrenarra Keanu Proeun, Carmen Puente, Mallory Quist, Sarah Schaefer, Jessica Schwartz, Ajay Singh, Ellen Stumbo, Blayke Swanson Gonzalez, Sonya Yelagin
Magna cum laude
Jamaad Ahmed, Ayan Ahmed, Ewaoluwa Akande, Grace Alagbo, Garrett Anderson, Valerie Buckland, Max Chamberlain, Hayden Dylla, Brandon Gentz, Alex Gilbertson, Charlotte Gram, Anna Hansen, Alexander Hawks, Molly Hentges, Eduardo Hernandez-Hernandez, David Herron, Ana Higuera, Faith Hoff, Pamela Idrovo Merchan, Aneesa Ishal, Miles Jensen, Rose Kuhn, Joshua Lee, Sean Litterer, Tony Ma, Jun Xian Ma, Brooks Mertens, Fahima Mohamed, Naema Mohamed, Khadar Mohamed, Mfaz Mohamed Ali, Fardowsa Mohamud, Marly Monson, Kenna Naughton, Vi Nguyen, Esther Ocharo, Aidyn O’Hare, Charlie Oster, Anthony Michael Smart, Luke Syverson, Devika Thakurdial, Nathnael Tizazu, Ava Torgerson, Nora Tsai, Orlando Vergara Villalobos, Cydney Vergara-Sanchez, Jonathan Walls, Ahmed Warsame, Anya Yelagin
Cum laude
Hanan Abdi, Yaasir Abdi, Feben Abraham, Helen Abraham, Maida Ahmed, Jonathan Alex, Sophia Austin, Jorge Calvillo, Leo Chamberlain, Adrianna Clark, Sophie Cossitt, Madalyn Davis, Caleb Eberly, Jacob Field, Karolay Gaona Morocho, Angelie Ham, Kylie Hanson, Jesus Higuera, Avary Johnson, Katherine Jovanovic, America Juarez Ginez, Ashley Khadka, Meyer Kreutzmann, Quinn Lindgren, Ryan Lorenz, Lojaine Maghtheh, Devin McGregor, Sidona Mehari, Brian Mendoza Martinez, Samira Mohamed, Jared Monsen, Victor Navarro-Hernandez, Grace Nelson, Joe O’Brien, Mubarak Omar, Ashley Phommasengkeo, Jariah Ratcliff, Emelia Reynoso, Ella Rudashevsky, Ezequiel Sanchez, Katherine Thompson, Benjamin Walls, Brodyn Ward, Alexandra Weigel, Javon York
Baldwin-Woodville, Baldwin, Wis.
Sydney Boyer, Nicholas Carriveaux, Lola Chamberlain, Madison Clark, Samuel Davis, Landon Eggen, Hannah Forrest, Annabelle George, Mallory Hable, Dominucci Haselman, Colton Hush, Natalie Jascot, Jackson Johansen, Janessa Karau, Chloe Knox, Hayley Krinkie, August Kroening, Zoey Kusilek, Keelyn Lee, Jenna Livingston, Bryton Logterman, Maran Luckwaldt, Lewis Maino, Payton Mikla, Abigail Nilssen, Marin Nygaard, Reyah Oehlke, Benjamin Paquette, Grayson Pastor, Sophia Pizarro, Tyler Pollack, Julias Rudak, Annnika Schultz, Ella Schutz, Vincent Serafina, Brayden Shafer, Ryan Veenendall, Kennedy Wang, Charles Willink, Kendra Woodruff, Emma Yanish
Barron, Wis.
Summa cum laude: Hailee Halverson, Trinity Halverson, Summer Hammann, Ashlynn Mark, Brady Mickelson, Emma Thompson
Magna cum laude: Taylor Anderson, Juri Apanecatl-Juarez, Andrea Bechard, Aiyana Hillman, Ashley Kurschner, Cameron Mullikin
Cum laude: Miranda Anderson, Declan Dennis, Dakota Dresser, Rayna Hauck, Ashlee Jilek, Logan Keilholtz, Lilly Kunkel, Brevin Neuman, Alexia Paulsen, Jordan Taylor, Johnathen Wakefield, Mackenzie Weltzin, Mason Williams
Blaine
Highest honors
Michael Aber, Ahmed Al Bubseeree, Maxwell Albers, Heraan Aliye, Carley Anderson, Cole Anderson, Tyler Anderson, Dorcas Aroloye, Lourie Ayega, Tyler Bargman, Alexander Barnett, Anastasia Beckman, Marketta Beffel, Isabelle Blomberg, Nisha Chandramouli, Noah Chatelle, Zoe Chen, Lillian Cole,, Maya Daly, Henry Danh, Jayden De Alba, Ayden DeBoer, Dru Dramdahl, Angelina Drews, Hannah Erickson, Edin Erie, Tessa Ewer, Andrew Fedor, Clinton Follette, Andrew Geisel, Andrew Gettel, Delana Glunz, Elizabeth Gohdes, Megan Griswold, Ethan Gross, Isabella Hargraves, Reese Harvey, Jake Heggestad, Brooke Helmeke, Marc Hill, Thomas Holt, Ramsha Hoti, Jenna Jakubiec, Maida Jama, Fatra Jeilan, Bellamy John, Nathan Johnson, Nicholas Jund, Avery Kaiser, Dorcas Kapemba, Samantha Karsnia, Fatima Kazar, Ellie Kearin, Mujaddid Khan, Macie Kratsch, Katherine Lewis, Liam Lucore, Lauren McLain, Paul Merck, Ian Miller, Tesneem Mkhinini, Stefan Modec, Wyatt Moras, Amelia Mueller, Isabelle Murillo, Sharon Nguyen, Emerson Nieder, Amir Nuredin, Noelle Olson, Aisha Osman, Hamdi Osman, Paige Padilla, Peyton Padilla, Abbey Pelkey, Kate Pennoyer, Makayla Persaud, Jennifer Phan, Matthew Plankers, Mark Radtke, Natalie Ramcharran, Haiely Rehrauer, Michael Richmond, Ashley Ripley, Mercedez Roberts, Brian Robles, Oluwaferanmi Rotimi, Mohamud Said, Meredi Samba, Madeline Schrank, Gabriel Schurr, Amelia Schwartz, Pooja Shah, Evelina Shirokova, Alex Steffen, Ariel Stensrud, Vincent Stenzel, Nathan Taylor, Charles Thorne, Julia Tomandl, Devon Torgerson, John Tran, Zachary Triplett, Lilyan Truong, Kevin Vo, Payton Vogel, Christian Wark, Praise Waweru, Morgan Wester, Kate Wille, Miral Yahia, Faith Yang, Ethan Young, Tessa Zachmann, Emmanuel Zhagui
Bridge View, St. Paul
Distinguished graduates: Moo Gay Nay Di, Jonah Harold
Burnsville
Valedictorians
Emma Baker, Victoria Biggs, Carissa Chow, Claire Davis, Coretta Dawson, Linh Hoang, Desiree Koppi, Suhayb Mahamed, Madeline Olsen, Julia Osmolski, Hannah Rood, Kira Theng, Joshua Trussell, Matthew Trussell, Timothy Trussell
Hangatu Abdo, Anders Ahlberg, Nasrin Ahmed, Muriel Alldredge, Simon Amnuel, Lucy Anderson, Alex Bagdade, Charles Barsanti, Gustave Beaton, Caroline Belden, Satya Blons, Paw Dah Blwet, Henry Brandt, Maria Bryan, Jaya Chang, Lila Charlesworth, Sophia Choo, Henry Cordes, Nicolas Crawford-Rutherford, Genevieve Daly, Joker Danial, Keira Deiman, Lucy Dosch, Alex Dreher, Monica DuBois, Twylah Frye, Lu Garnaas, Jonah Gasho, Sam Geisler, Seth Glasser, Elias Griggs-LeRoux, Eddie Gronau, Cal Grove, Adeline Halverson, Zoe Harris, Luda Hart, Lucas Hausman, Erin Hawley, Emily Hein, Walter Heinecke, Han Hoang, Eric Holmlund, Karina Hydrie, Atticus James, Eleanor Johnson, Ezra Johnson, Greer Jones, Luke Karvonen, Holly Kessler, John King, Hannah Klubberud, Mathias Kreuziger, Evelyn Krohn, Scout Kruszka, Charlotte Kusch, Catherine Leach, Blong Lee, Ocean Lee, Summer Lee, Josephine Lin, Kaisa Lindfors, Quinn Logan, Joshua Lonstein, Sayen Lundeen-Leiva, Sadie March, Eva Mazullo, Josie McCabe, Mimi McCallum, Maryan Mohamed, Steffen Montville, Charley Moore, Cecli Mummey, Simmia Nelson, Delaney Nelson, D’Nico Newton-Barber, Nathan Nguyen, Minh Hoang Nguyen, Jaxson Nins, Twyla Paska, Sadie Peterson, Jonah Pfoser, Keyvan Pouladian-Kari, Finn Powers-Tiffin, Erika Praska, Eva Pratt, Valerie Radford, Bobby Reinhardt, Lauren Restad, Grace Robertson, Margaret Rowell, Miles Sachs, Zander Sachs, Thomas Schmutterer, Abigail Sikora, Evan Singer, Quinn Skelton, Henry Smith, Emil Soss, Sam Spencer, Pria Stauning, Lowell Stephani, Evan Strautman, Megan Subera, Finn Sutton, Naomi Tange, Ariel Thao, Kaiden Thiers, Rhys Tidwell, Harlow Tong, Beatrix Tortorello, Kate Tronstad, Margot Trout, Alisa Vang, Chloe Vasas-Anderson, Nora Voshell, Sadie Wallace, Eric Walsh, Sarah Westawker, Kieran Whelan, Evangelina Williams, Eamon Winkleman, Annie Xiong, Cheemoua Xiong, Nhiache Xiong, Jai Lia Yang, Mayson Yelk, Isabella Zambreno
Como Park, St. Paul
Summa cum laude
Mason Aarness, Nasteha Abdulle, Sabirn Ahmed, Sundus Ali, Mairin Blank, Zachary Bollman, Keng Chang, Emmett Driscoll, Elise Dunne, Tristan Engelmann, Phoebe Finlay, Titius Freshwater, Frederick Gray, Oskar Helgen, Ashley Hernandez-Espitia, Micheal Huang, Aliya Hussei, Jenny Kahn, Teodora Kamenov, Daniel Klett, Samuel Koushik, Anthony Landaverde-Guillen, Xee Lee, Anna Lovat, Elliot McNally, Poe Meh, Kassakorn Mo, Sumeiya Mohamed, Asia Mohamed, Madalyn Noll, Anthony Ososki,Hser Eh Paw, Julia Pletch, Bu Reh, Angeliki Ruddy, Kai Sackreiter, Paw Gay Say, Madeleine Schilling, Garrett Seppanen, Greta Seppanen, Riya Stebleton, Ellery Tennison, William Toe, Mia Trifilette-Simons, Lisa Truong, Deion Vanh, Alice Wagner-Hemstad, Sophie Warner GoaKia Xiong, Pa Kou Yang
Concordia Academy, Roseville
August Adamsson
Parents: Jerry and Kathy Adamsson
College, major: University of Northwestern-St. Paul, engineering
Quote: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13
Bradley Berwald
Parents: Brian and Sarah Berwald
College, major: Concordia University, St. Paul; nursing
Quote: “Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me.” — Micah 7:8
Natalie Esboldt
Parents: Steven and Julia Esboldt
College, major: University of Sioux Falls, S.D.; elementary education and special education
Quote: “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” — Colossians 3:17
Lauren Hill
Parents: Matt and Miriam Hill
College, major: University of Northwestern-St. Paul, art
Quote: “For we are God’s Masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” — Ephesians 2:10
Timothy Lee
Parents: Jason Lee and Hyeyoon Lee
College, major: University of Wisconsin-Madison, business
Quote: “Oh well, guess you lose some and win some, as long as the outcome is income, you know I want it all and then some.” – “Over My Dead Body,” Drake
Keira McCord
Parent: Rebecca McCord
College: Gustavus Adolphus College
Quote: “When we Christians behave badly, or fail to behave well, we are making Christianity unbelievable to the outside world.” – “Mere Christianity,” C.S. Lewis
Judah Neel
Parents: Jason and Sara Neel
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, business management
Quote: “No matter where life takes me, find me with a smile.” — Mac Miller
Chris Nelson
Parent: Jennifer Nelson
College, major: Bethel University, biology
Quote: “Christ died for you individually just as much as if you’d been the only man in the world.” — C. S. Lewis
Sam Oelschlaeger
Parents: Amy Oelschlaeger and David Oelschlaeger
College, major: Iowa State University, civil engineering
Jonathan Rieth
Parents: Mike and Julie Rieth
College, major: University of Wisconsin-Madison, biomedical engineering
Quote: “I knew exactly what to do. But in a much more real sense, I had no idea what to do.” — Michael Scott, “The Office”
Alayna Schutte
Parents: Adam and Rachel Schutte
College, major: University of Sioux Falls, S.D.; nursing
Quote: “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.” — Psalms 28:7
Coon Rapids
Allison Staples
Parent: Lia Staples
College, major: St. Olaf College, psychology
Amadion Flores
Parents: Leah Gibbons and Michael Gibbons
College, major: University of Minnesota, psychology on the pre-law track
Anna Langworthy
Parents: Mike and Jill Langworthy
College, major: University of Minnesota Duluth, civil engineering
Ella Noe
Parents: Dave and Joyce Noe
College, major: College of St. Scholastica, nursing
Emily Tran
Parent: Vu Tran
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, biology
Francesca Nevarez Wielenberg
Parents: Rosemary Wielenberg and Oscar Nevarez
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, neuroscience
Josephine Haag
Parent: Michael Haag
Next: Minnesota National Guard, then University of Minnesota, majoring in medical laboratory science and psychology
Madeline Metzler
Parents: Brent Metzler and Amanda Metzler
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, pre-laboratory sciences
Madelyn Jurek
Parents: Jeremiah and Melissa Jurek
College, major: University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, exercise and sports science
Matthew Anderson
Parents: Pamela Anderson and Bradley Anderson
College, major: University of St. Thomas, mechanical engineering
Matthew Lewandowski
Parents: Chad Lewandowski, Denise Lewandowski
College, major: University of Wisconsin-Madison, mechanical engineering
Matthew Rankila
Parents: Joy Rankila and Wayne Rankila
College, major: Metropolitan State University, accounting
Shyann Goldsmith
Parents: Dorothy and Stephen Goldsmith
College, major: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.; aerospace engineering
Thomas Tran
Parents: Thuyet Tran, Kim Nguyen
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, human resources and industrial relations
Tiffany Duong
Parents: Kieu Huynh, Vong Duong
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, biochemistry
Creative Arts, St. Paul
Summa cum laude: Abraham Eversman, John Geary, Amarah McGuire, Liam Schrom
Cretin-Derham Hall, St. Paul
Valedictorian: Michael Loeffler
Parents: Sue and Chad Loeffler
College, major: University of Denver, mechanical engineering
Salutatorian: Lucy Cornett
Parents: Jody and Roger Cornett
College, major: Boston College, economics
Ariana Awiszus
Parents: Simona Awiszus and Steve Awiszus
College, major: University of Notre Dame, neuroscience and behavior
Bridget Commers
Parents: Angela and Steven Commers
College, major: University of Notre Dame, aerospace engineering
Luke Fowler
Parents: Natalie Fowler, John Fowler
College, major: University of Notre Dame, business
Rebecca Gutzmann
Parents: Gena Gutzmann and Jeffrey Gutzmann
College, major: University of Hartford, Conn.; architecture
Regina Lopiano
Parents: Kathleen and Salvatore Lopiano
College, major: Boston College, neuroscience
Calla Massari
Parents: Andrea and Aaron Massari
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, mechanical engineering
Vincent Pham
Parents: Thuy Hoa Pham and Randy Pham
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, biomedical engineering
Olivia Reeder
Parents: Katie and David Reeder
College: Boston College
Reed Smith
Parents: Jennifer and Jeff Smith
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, finance and investment banking
Eagan
Summa cum laude
Caitlin Allred, Anushka Aravindan, Samson Axelrod, Ella Bailey, Patrick Barry, Ava Bertsch, Varshini Bomma, Jacob Braginsky, Abigayle Chapman, Nancy Cung, Samuel Dickinson, Owen Ford, Katerina Froloff, Nathan Furness, Hannah Gelineau, Eldora Grommesch, Lauren Grosz, Karli Grundhoffer, Claire Gyolai, Ryan Hanson, Molly Hed, Owen Heidtke, Henry Heinlein, Kenzo Her, Owen Hobbs, Mason Hoekenga, Hannah Huynh, Mallory Jensen, Jimena Jones, Julia Koudelka, Jack Kruger, Ethan Kurian, Jada Lapastora, Tara Le, Gwendolyn Lindahl, Liam Madigan, Jack Marsh, Omer Mitha, Ethan Nelson, Huu Nguyen, Drew Novak, Cole Pangier, Julia Pankratz, John Quick, Lorena Rysavy, Tishya Savla, William Schoenecker, Tarek Selim, Samuel Simon, Henry Stein, Laurence Stevenson, John Stokesbary, Addison Tanner, Lydia Terborg, Nicholas Tesdall, Huy Vo, Angela Wohletz, Aidan Zilge, Mary Zordoky
Magna cum laude
Lily Axelrod, Cole Barbato, Tyler Burbey, Max Buslee, Laura Casper, Michael Corbo, Lily Cordina, Kaira Cullen, Noah Damro, Jennifer Doan, Preston Dunn, Emma Fetzich, Kaitlyn Fisher, Randal Fleury, Lydia Frome, Owen Haberstroh, Ethan Hall, Hale Halvorson, Elena Holm, Victoria Hubble, Benjamin Hurwitz, Aisha Ibrahim, Rayan Irfan, Brylee Koenck-Proeung, Ishaan Koratkar, Soham Kundu, Noelle Larsen, Ella Logan, Patrick Lyne, Madeline Maack, Natalie Manley, Daniel Margosian, Elizabeth Matuszewski, Karen Miller, Edward Moore, Neel Nadella, Alex Newton, Adelyn North, Zasha Padilla, Sahir Pagey, Evelyn Pak, Dibyajyoti Panda, Brendan Peterson, Nolan Peterson, Macy Redetzke, Kelly Rollie, Jasmine Rytting, Nolan Sanouvong, Fatima Shah Din, Henry Strauss-Klein, Alexander Thome, Thuy-Sa Truong, Cassie Turner, Andrew Urueta, Olivia Varpness, Carter Veen, Olma Wakjira, Keira Waldrop, Megan Wall, Carter Will, Evan Wodele
Cum laude
Chibueze Abasiri, Adam Abbas, Canann Abraham, Zakaria Ali, Joseph Anderson, Abena Antwi, Derak Bang’o, Isabella Barrios, Morgan Becker, Bilise Benya, Tabitha Booker, Tyler Botz, Chloe Breen, Gavin Burbach, Jayla Daniels, Mark Desutter, Lucia Diaz, Nadine Frank, Madix Fulton, Ezra Gebeyehu, Jacob Gibson, Bradley Gill, Karlina Griepp, Keira Halligan, Gabrielli Hernandez, Lauren Holm, Luke Holter, Iman Ibrahim, Aidan Jaikissoon, Abigail Keuhn, Tatum Knight, Benjamin Larson, Kendra Larson, XuYing Lee, Riley Lien, Julia Madsen, Aashish Mankala, Jonah Moeller, Sherry Muthiga, Jakob Ngo, Olivia Oenning, Emmanuel Ojo, Keaton Orrey, Maria Peterson, AbdulAhad Rahman, Grayson Robbins, Taylor Schiltgen, Bailey Schmidt, Jack Schneiderhan, Annie Schoen, Annika Sorensen, Elleana Stejskal, Brady Sternberg, Trevor Syring, F Coen Utley, Sydney Vigness-Pint, Jace Willy, Noah Wolff, Ella Ziel de Cruz
East Ridge, Woodbury
Summa cum laude with distinction
Natalie Allen
College, major: University of California, Los Angeles; astrophysics
Alyssa Bai
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, computer science
Valentina Brander
College, major: Northwestern University, political science
Angel Anderson, Sophia Anderson, Lillian Bongaarts, Evangeline Covey, Lucy Dahlberg, Maxwell Dauer, Adam Doskey, Jessi Doskocila, Aden Erickson, Trista Goepfert, Sidney Gronski, Kelsey Handy, Madison Hanson, Amaya Henderson, Piper Hicks, Carter Luke, Mitchell Meyer, Alexander Peterson, Connor Quimby, Joseph Quintana, Zachary Rombach, Megan Schafer, Samuel Spafford, Ana Sofia Trick, Vincent Vogland, Ian Watt, Ciara Wesenberg, Greta White
Harding, St. Paul
Summa cum laude
Isabelle Gutierrez, Devin Yurkovich, Kanag Xiong, Joseph Soe, Cynthia Dang, Pearl Xiong, Elijah Arnett, Beauty Yang, Hector Perez Hernandez, Rashonna Harper, Lance Vang, Yesenia Vidalez Galindo, Eli Xiong, Naidelin Manriquez Ramirez, Angie Thao, Cypress Lee, Gaoger Moua, Angelina Vang, Adrianna Yang, Hailey Ly, Shawfeng Xiong, Xue Yang, Francis Mensah, Tanner Rouillard-Horne, Sarfah Souriyavong, Nkaujhmong Vue, Eh Shu, Amie Tran, Tha Zin Mon, Kulue Vue, Elizabeth Vang, Shoua Yang, Pazee Lee, Izzy Thao, Alydia Xiong, Kalena Xiong, Elizabeth Yang, Kong Lee, Sunshine Vang, Grant Rouillard-Horne, Kayle Yang, Khong Kue Yang, Adrian Chavez, Adrien Cuellar-Cortez, Kenji Lee, Youpheng Lor, Angela Yang, La’Zaya Lindsey, Tyler English
Hastings
Top 10%
Jackelyn Anderson, Emma Bakker, Gabriella Bushinski, Michael Davis, Emily Dembroski, Madison Deutsch, Autumn Diersen, Lilyana Doffing, Natalie Duerkop, Abigail Englin, Bryce Gentle, Eva Greene, Madyn Hanson, Brooke Hiller, Ava Hoffman, Mara Jackson, Brooke Jelley, Lauren Jenkins, Claire Keller, Daniel Kiral, Lily Kummer, Anthony Lau, Charles Makowske, Gabriela McDowell, Rhyen Miska, Maya Norgaard, Rhyen Miska, Maya Norgaard, Camden Oehme, Jameson Price, Julia Ronning, Ruby Rotty, Mikayla Schuster, Ashtyn Stewart, Benjamin Thome, Liliana Thurmes, Brooke Townsend, Vincent Vieth
Highland Park, St. Paul
Summa cum laude
Lilah Abraham, Ella Alden Pope, Elizabeth Alene, Angelica Amador, Oscar Andestic, Erin Armstrong, Ava Arredondo, Andrew Bacigalupi, Willa Berg, Finnegan Black, Samantha Boss, Nora Branstner, Anna Brock, Brouke Brookins, Alec Buchanan, Samuel Cocchiarella, Antonio Contreras, Piper Crosby, Elodie Cummins, Peter Douma, Andrew Endres, Jillian Evans, Jack Frohnauer, Annika Getz, Charles Goldman, Greta Goodspeed, Arija Greenseid, Karl Haaland, Roland Hagedorn, Maria Hamlin, Molly Hanley, Claudia Hanson, Britreyunna Harper, Quinn Harvey, Hiba Hussein, Gabriella Ishaq, Owen Jahn, Ella Johnson, Stephanie Jones, Anna Jones, Katherine Kaatz, Dina Kaufman, Olivia Kendle, Eleanor Kristiansson, Kieran Kristjanson, Bijou Kruszka, Elsa Larson, Abigail Lawton, Mitali Mangal, Ellery Merriam, Elliot Miller, Hanifa Mohamednoor, Bethlehem Negash, Richard Nguyen, Wesley Norquist, Aggy Ongaki, Evelyn Osborn, Hayat Osman, Aurelia Parranto, Sophia Paske, Isabella Pfankuch, Charles Pickart, William Pinto, Evadne Pond, Eleanor Pundsack, Rose Ramadan, Kate Regan, Katherine Reubish, Celia Robertson, Nuria Rodriguez-Foster, Ci Alexandra Roepke, Angel Ruiz Mora, Subeir Said, Lucia Samayoa, Samuel Schlukebier, Samuel Schmitt, Luna Scorzelli, Kismet Shinde, Wyatt Shirley, Julia Sikorski Roehsner, Brooke Sinykin, Louis Sloot, Muriel Smith, Nils Smith, Audrey Snowbeck, Ellery Spector, Lillian St Dennis, Gabriela St John-Hernandez, Elliott Thatcher, Ella Tjaden, Drew Toutant, Emily Tran, Timothy Tzeutschler, Phlower Vang, Zora Vorhes, Macartney Walker, Xavier Wambach, William Warner, Benjamin Waud, Reagan Welch, Theresa Williams, Alexander Sasha Winnett, Natillie Xiong, Rose Xiong, Alaina Zugay, Marika Zullino, Boden Zwank
Hill-Murray, Maplewood
Peter Basso, Lucy Blaney, Charles Breien, Rachel Clark, Jacob Dinzeo, Caitlin Gaumond, Sophia Greene, Alexander Gross, Allison Hauser, Jiahui Hu, Claire Huss, Gabriella Joseph, Marykatherine Kolb, Lauren Lobanoff, Ava Maas, Austin Mjanger, Taylor Petrich, Lindsey Phelan, Mia Rich, Mason Ries, Eric Ross, Andrew Schoenecker, Tanner Thoms, Benjamin Tousignant, Jiahui Zhan
Hmong College Prep Academy, St. Paul
Lai Chang
Parent: Mai Yang
College, major: St. John’s University, computer science
Quote: “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” — 1 Peter 4:9
Taykn Chang
Parent: Julie Thao
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, computer science
Quote: “Insecurity starts within.”
Dayana Hernandez-Flores
Parent: Maria Flores-Reyes
College, major: University of Wisconsin-River Falls, echocardiography
Quote: “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”
Hideaki Lee
Parents: Payeng Lee and Shinbei Lee
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, finance and accounting
Quote: “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.”
Serenity Siong
Parents: Rev. Dr. William Siong and Dr. Chue Siong
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, elementary education
Quote: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou
Nadine Thao
Parent: Chongyang Thao
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, computer science
Quote: “Look, if you had one shot, or one opportunity, to seize everything you ever wanted in one moment, would you capture it or just let it slip?”
Brian Vang
Parent: Mai Yang
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities; biology and neuroscience, pre-med
Quote: “Life may be hard now, but trust me, it will all be so worth it in the end.” — Mom (one of my biggest motivators)
Laly Vang
Parent: Sally Vang
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, mechanical engineering
Nida Vang
Parent: Na Xiong
College, major: St. Catherine University, sonography
Touyengkong Yang
Parent: Houa Vang
Hudson
Graham Close, Jack Keller, Cora Hofstedt, Grace Jones, Karsten Opatz, Ian Ristad, Sarah Davis, Gabriella Cesena, Ripley Balusek, Allison Jones, Hope Pedersen, James Quiney, Kaitlyn Wright, Olivia Grothaus, Alexander Halama, Alia Cherry, Emily Olson, James Macmenamin, Laura Mahowald, Grace Mears, Lillian Campbell, Ethan Eilertson, Thaddeus Johnson, Ella Carstensen, Kadyn Berg
Humboldt, St. Paul
Summa cum laude
Hawa Abdella, Kowsar Ahmed, Mimi Aung, Stephanie Buse, Betsabe Gonzalez, Blue Htoo, Samo Lay, Arianna Lo, Ree Ma, Thiri Ma, Twar Meh, Biftu Mohammed, Ti Reh, Zoa Royalty, Paw Say, Saw Ku Gay Shu, Po Si Si, Winner Soe, Christina Yang
Irondale, New Brighton
Highest honors
Sabri Abdusalam, Nawal Ahmed, Maya Al-Yasin, Nicholas Anderson, Alexandra Birken, Samuel Brandt, Nicholas Brogdon, Tenzin Chemi, Daniella Daire, Xander Daire, Mary Jane Ejiofor, Anas Enanaa, Elijah Englund, Wyatt Erwin, Maxwell Frankson, Lillian Grommes, Ella Hanus, Ethan Hemenway, Keegan Heyl, Caleb Hill, Natalie Jansen, Erin Jensen, Seven Kemptar, Zayd Khandwalla, Emily Laizans, Sylvie Marion, Abigail McNeil, Elliot Mevissen, Aaron Muenzner, Maxwell Nelson, Jasmine Alyssa Nimis, Mia Nordberg, Gavin Nordstrom, Andrew Paetznick, Anna Presseller, Bridget Robertson, Roshan Nicholas Rochus John, Sadie Rodgers, Ryan Romes, Michael Santiago, Caroline Scheid, Jimena Sichiqui, Siri Stolen, Emma Supina, Kelly Tekautz, Zoey Tenenbaum, Austin Tranowski, Reesa Venterea, Sarah Wang, Mourya Yandra, Hannah Young, Edward Yu, Andy Zheng
Johnson, St. Paul
Summa cum laude
Jackson Cox, Jolie Davis, Carina Dieringer, Ler Pray Doh, Jennifer Herrera-Cavazos, Esra Ismail, Mae Kersten, Tsimmuaj Lee, Conner Lee, Chue Seng Lor, Jacqyra, Lovejoy, Kathy Moua, Bennett Nguyen Prowell, Joaquin Ochocki, Emira Saleh, Cintsaiab Shiong, Brianna Smith, Kong Feng Thao, Ruth Thaw Gyi, Kalwin Vang, Geneva Vang, Nom Lauj Vue, Sakura Vue, Sarah Wang, Soua Xiong
Lakeville North
Summa cum laude
Riley Alger, Sydney Anderson, Brodi Archdale, Tyler Arneson, Arianna Balgobin, Samuel Bejar, August Benning, Isaac Blommel, Henry Bradbury, Anna Branchini, Nora Brandt, Tyler Christianson, Kiona Crawford, Lauren Croke, Michael Davenport, Marina Deutsch, Charles De Genaro, Summer Downward, Matthew Drake, Osayemwenre Edomwonyi, Amenah Eldomiatti, Ellyn Engels, Aidan Erickson, Bridget Fisk, Ethan Flom, Tiana Forsberg, Connor Frame, Kylie Glassen, Jace Hafner, Leah Hahs, Alex Hall, Anna Hauer, Matthew Heggen, Jason Henry, Emma Hoffacker, Caityln Holl, McKenna Hultgren, Sumaya Hussein, Mason Jech, Aliya Johnson, Lauren Johnson, Kaden Kandler, Aaimah Khawaja, Connor Kitzmann, Peyton Knock Swanson, Abigail Koening, Claire Koznick, Cooper Krance, Kate Kremer, Andrew Kugler, Joseph Lackmann, Greta Lauer, Isabella Leonetti, Madison McMurdie, Antonio Menard, Sophia Mikkelson, Sara Morton, Charese Mutebi, Keane Naughton, Amelia Nerison, Louise Nguyen, Nicholas Nguyen, Anna Ohlson, Maxwell Olson, Madison Orth, Carter Pade, Mason Pade, Claire Peterson, Cole Peterson, Gavin Phillips, Alexis Plambeck, Quinn Power, Ella Raiche, Justin Rehborg, Samuel Russeth, Jasmine Sadek, Tessa Sauder, Anthony Scheglowski, Bryan Schlauderaff, Calvin Schmelzle, Calan Schuldt, Liberty Schultz, Austin Siefken, Garrett Siefken, Ryan Stacey, Ava Stockinger, Ian Stram, Kate Swierczek, Jack Timm, Anna Tomas, Taylor Tronnes, Varsha Venkatesh Gorur, Joseph Wambolt, Aidan Weber, Zachary Zeien, Kilian Zenner
Lakeville South
Summa cum laude
Hadi Ahmad, Michael Anderson, Nathan Barnes, Lydia Benson, Briana Biehn, Lucas Bishop, Emma Bornfleth, Gage Boushee, Oliver Boyd, Spencer Brennan, Henry Caswell, Alec Chamberlain, Isaac Cin, Brandon Clark, Mia DeCaluwe, Julia Differding, Sierra Doll, Jaydon Donely, Allison Drake, Halle Eastling, Jake Ebersole, Ariana Edgar, Wyatt English, Thatcher Enneking, Stella Evenson, Sophie Fields, Grady Formaneck, Ella Fowler, Daphne Fox, Anna Goodman, Jeffrey Grotenhuis, Kaylee Hafermann, Noah Harnack, Charlie Hayes, Isabelle Hentges, Eiji Hofmann, Sofia Honda, Ella Hudson, Sophie Hurst, Cydney Hutterer, Iris Jimenez, Isabella Johnson, Lucas Johnson, Owen Johnson, Samuel Johnson, Evan Kasal, Annabelle King, Connor King, Nicholas Kulig, Max Larson, Emma Lehmann, Nicholas Lehmann, Joseph Lucey, Theresa Lynch, Nathalee Magana, Sierra Man, Macie Marrinan, Nicole McKinney, Edgar Mera Delacruz, Madelynn Miller, Mallory Misurek, Annisa Nguyen, Ava Nielson, Ryder O’Brien, Caidyn O’Connor, Braden O’Malley, Brynn O’Neill, Jovie Ordal, Kylie Page, Sophia Pavek, Avery Peterson, Cody Powell, Ivy Rahn, Emma Remington, Natalie Revak, Daisy Reyes, Maggie Rief, Josie Ruhland, Jaden Rust, Kaeli Sterling, Jane Stiers, Ashley Sutton, Evan Taggart, Jack Timm, Victoria Tschida, Paige Wagner, Derek Welter, Isabelle Wigton, Porter Woodson, Logan Worrell, Isaak Zimmerman
Quote: “You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you are going, because you might not get there.” — Yogi Berra
Allison O’Leary
Parents: Anna O’Leary, Nathan O’Leary
College, major: Liberty University, Lynchburg, Va.; nursing
Quote: “No excuses. Just do the work.” — Shalane Flanagan
Tennyson Shultz
Parents: Melissa Shultz, Taylor Shultz
College: Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa
Quote: “Fight for the things that you care about. But do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” — Ruth Bader Ginsberg
Mounds Park Academy, Maplewood
Maya Alexa, Zain Ali, Bella Baker, Margaret Banks-Hehenberger, Devneet Biring, Vittorio Bloyer, Amina Brewer, Zephyr Bulera, Meiran Carlson, Elise DeBruzzi, Eilam Deinard, Jadyn Delgado, Anastasios Dimopoulos, Leo Eakin, Salma Egal, Isabel Espinosa Splichalova, Ian Frankel, Oliver Frey, Justin Galarza Gonzalez, Jay Green, Maxwell Gruen, Greta Hanson, Sylvia Hawley, Micah Hudock, Khushi Jain, Meera Jain, Aixa Kellermann, Adeline Kluz, Annika Krause, Alexander Krueger, Else Kunze-Hoeg, Yongwook Lee, Jacob Leier, Xinyuan Li, Trevor Lien, Abdur-Rahman Lodhi, Logan Miller, Benjamin Murr, Miles Niemeyer, Sonia Olk, Nora Pederson, Jager Perez, Soumya Raman, Briana Rist, Lily Rogers, Hunter Scheible, Akshay Somayajula, Julia Rose Sonka, David Steinberger, Ling Stewart, Teagan Swanson, Soma Takagi, Andrew Taylor, Molly Vergin, Evan Wallraff, Noah Wilgocki, Bryan Wong, Pahwa Yang, NayMyo Zaw, Finn Zeruhn, Parker Ziegler
Mounds View, Arden Hills
Highest honors
Ellen Guo, Michael Wang, Annabelle Huang, Zali Akiba, Daniel Sung, Siri Wilkes, Mabel Chen, Kylie Yu, Maeve Edgar, Brian Kim, Victor Cai, Angela Liang, Jerome Floeder, Yewon Park, Laura Hansen, Sophia Ohmann, Daniela Senanayake, Allison Yu, Robin Kim, Philip Jepko, Benjamin Wasson, Chad Diao, Sreya Subramanian, Christine Yim, Maya Arnold, Xinyue Wang, Suhaib Aden, Bhuvi Jain, Katherine Schneider, Cayden Stoner, Maya Gjelhaug, Daniel Shin, Ethan Zhao, Mathias McGinnis, Andrew Hermes, Olivia Schardin, Rory Warden, Brandon Luna Sanchez, Selina Wang, Echo Zhai, Amrita Rajesh, Fardis Malik, Matthew Higley, Aarush Singh, Lukas Hoyt, Anya Stupar, Louis Cook, August McDonald, Tingchung Chang, Yunru Chen, Sorelle Tan, Britta Bramsen, Molly Strike, Yusuf Ali, Christian Forbes, Amelia Gregory, Erika Turkington, Benjamin Starr, Elizabeth Xiao, Owen Lee, Cormac McSherry, Theodore Gafencu, Ronald Xu, Jamie Nick, Sabrina Duden, Ella Westerman, Max Huberty, Kevin Zhang, Mary Seymour, Hayden Sperbeck, Sebastian Hartzell, Audrey Zhao, Claire Sabby, Lale Baylar, Isabella Myrland, Miles Smith, Noah Hammett-Divine, Kylie Murray, Riley Maurer, Emily Schnarr, Kyra Marshall, Isaac Ramel, Mikayla Schultz, Joseph Bryntesen, Ruotong Ma, Levi Hammerbeck, Gabrielle Bullert, Joyce Tsai, Renee Defeyter, Natalie Simms, Magnolia Taylor, Zoke Sackih, Sophia Loegering, Maya Surve, Gabriel Lundgren, Noelle Buckley, Spencer Sweeney, Ella Xu, Bryce Breen, Sarah Kolasa, Elizabeth Simons, Hridaya Ghosh, William Overbo, Aubrie Jarvi, Gabriel O’Neil, Sean Peterson, Ayah Sumrain, Henry Ewald, Anna Diffley, Gabrielle Nead, Madeline Nagel, Tanner Vandeberg, David Shields, Daniel Koch, Megan Jaros, Phoebe Hoyt, Elena Miller, Thomas Shields, Pearl Awad, Jenna Stobbe, Micaela Ledesma, Anna Deane, Logan Kirk, Abigail Nelson, Sungjoon Anderson, Charles Kelly, Wesley Dolton, Kayla Horsch, Mehg Coline Solamillo, Christopher Then, Emmanuel Reilly, Alexander Bi, Jonathan Bowler, Sana Ahmed, Madelynn Cook, Elias Hagfors, McKenna Karel, Amelia Kneer, Ella Loushin, Eva Manrodt, Brady Officer, Nicolas Thao, Luke Van Oort
New Life Academy, Woodbury
Valedictorian: Anja Placzek
Parents: Tammy and Steve Placzek
College: University of Minnesota Duluth
Quote: “May the wind under your wings bear you where the sun sails and the moon walks.” — Gandalf, “The Hobbit,” J.R.R. Tolkien
Salutatorian: Suzanne White
Parents: Gretchen White and Jeff White
College, major: University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, biology
Quote: “Whenever you feel afraid, just remember. Courage is the root of change — and change is what we’re chemically designed to do.” – “Lessons in Chemistry,” Bonnie Garmus
North, North St. Paul
Alara Yener, Jaileah Yang, Annika Hagberg, Madeline Peterson, Gianna Foster, Tyler Lor, Jenna Brown, Ashley Yang, Abigail George, Hanna McGuire, Vivian Le, Stephanie Zamora, Lauren Collins, Kimaily Yang, Rachel Collins, Joseph Rychlicki, Gissell Gabarrete Lopez, Austin Deegan, Gabriel Roers, Dela Dumenya, Natalie Morrison, Cosette Mua, Nathania Pilares, Julie Xiong, Mistura Tiamiyu, Emily Vue, Jasper Tun, Danielle Alderson, Samuel Tamang, Vivian Roers, Isabella Lamb, Hung Van, Khaiyu Yang, Daniel Beardsley, CeCee Warner
Open World Learning Community, St. Paul
Summa cum laude
Willa Campion, Tess Campion, Nora Crosby, Elena Davis, Theodore Dobbins, Avery Erb, Jaielle Galbreath, Anja Gundale, Mae Heeringa, Maria Imholte, Beatrice Lloyd, Annika Lofgren, Anna Nowatzki, Cooper Peterson Antin, Oliver Plaman, Raina Rossell, Jonas Ruberg, Elijah Stende, Mintesinot Sturm, Endale Witt, Violet Wright, Hazel Wright
Osceola, Wis.
Summa cum laude
Gavin Almlie, Ellie Carlson, Sonja Carlson, Deryn Coppernoll, Adelyn Ellefson, Ethan Hall, Cooper Hennemann, Ava Irlbeck, Merrianna Johnson, Kaylynn Koester, Miles Leiskau, Britta Manni, Sean Michel, Ella Nelson, Gabrielle Neumann, Georjeanna Osterbauer, Alexis Peckman, Olivia See, Olivia Spiegel, Emma Stroshane, Blake Terpstra, Amin Addison Uddin, Mason Utke, Trinity White-Folstad, Jacyndah Yang
Park, Cottage Grove
Afton LeMay
Parents: Gary LeMay and Joanna LeMay
University of Minnesota Duluth
College, major: Undecided, criminology
Quote: “Failing at something is the best way to learn what it takes to succeed at it.” — Summer Sanders, Olympic swimmer
Amber Norgaard
Parents: Jennifer and Eric Norgaard
College, major: University of Mary, Bismarck, N.D.; biochemistry
College, major: St. Catherine University, radiology
Quote: “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” — Colin Powell
Salutatorian: Jocelyn Zingler
Parents: Jennifer and Travis Zingler
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, business marketing
Quote: “I am who I am today, because of the choices I made yesterday.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
Rosemount
Summa cum laude
Julia Alex, Benjamin Baker, Lauren Begich, Alease Bertrand, Katherine Buesing, Sophia Byersdorfer, Molly Carrico, Abigail Chumbley, Lilian Dahlheimer, Summer Davis, Caleb Dusek, Kadrin Dwyer, Emma Ebeling, Jordan Eide, Alexa Erzar, Ryan Erzar, Ryan Etheridge, Riley Fox, Ellie Gordon, Cassandra Gospodarek, Lila Greenfield, Ty Hansen, Cecilia Hanson, Norah Haque, Abigail Hartwig, Brayden Herzberg, Annabel Hess, Gabrielle Hoover, William Hoover, Emily Hopke, Ethan Johnson, Ethan Joseph, Ava Karl, Adonias Ketema, Yayra Kpetsu, Megan Kromschroeder, Madison Krulich, Mae Leppones, Colby Liebaert, Bridget McNeary, Hanna Meyer, Kayley Meznarich, Anisha Mullin, Tri Nguyen, Grace Nosan, Finn Nowlin, Hailey Palmer, Matthew Pasillas, Katherine Reed, Lilly Rindahl, Clara Romereim, Amelia Ross, Patrick Schilling, Hannah Schwartz, Isabelle Scinocca, Amelia Sell, Claire Sewpersaud, Arnav Shiri, Raunit Singh, Benjamin Siwek, Noah Skaria, Sawyer Smith, Hanna Sunsdahl, Ashley Swenson, Debora Tadese, Adler Tyburski, Ryan Wahl, Anna Zimmer
Roseville Area
Top 1 percent
Andrew Barnes
Parents: Anne and Michael Barnes
College: University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Quote: “Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you’re kind, amazing things will happen.” — Conan O’Brien
Amy Dang
Parents: Philong Dang, Khanh Dang
College: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Quote: “Character is the real foundation of all worthwhile success.” — John Hayes Hammond
Ataa-Adjetey Mensah
Parents: Besiwa Mensah, Sowah Mensah
College: Macalester College
Quote: “To stand up straight with your shoulders back is to accept the terrible responsibility of life, with eyes wide open. It means deciding to voluntarily transform the chaos of potential into the realities of habitable order.” — “12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos,” Jordan Peterson
Amelie Nickel
Parents: Jing-Jing and Jay Nickel
College: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Quote: “I love the word ‘fail.’ Failure is human destiny. Failure teaches us that life is but a draft, a long rehearsal for a show that will never play.” — Hipolito, “Amelie”
Evelyn Sagor
Parents: Amy Kay Kerber and Eli Sagor
College: McGill University, Montreal
Quote: “Don’t be afraid. Be focused. Be determined. Be hopeful. Be empowered.” — Michelle Obama
Lucia Sundberg
Parents: Matthew and Carrie Sundberg
College: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Quote: “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.” — Andy Bernard, “The Office”
Lily Viskoe
Parents: Rhonda and Dan Viskoe
College: University of San Francisco
Quote: “There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal.” — Toni Morrison
Lilyana Wood
Parents: Kim and Steve Wood
College: University of Minnesota Duluth
Quote: “Well, that’s the good part I guess. You get to find a new dream.” — Flynn Rider, “Tangled”
Rush City
Charlise Anderson, Owen Anderson, Kyle Armstrong, Kyleigh Bell, Hailea Bendickson, Nathan Bendickson, Lydia Bengtson, Troy Berg, Maria Biermaier, Joseph Bjorklund, Christine Camarines, Nicholas Carlson, Clint Chambers, Sophia Corbin, Owen Dick, Kayla Diedrich, Lily Drietz, Gavin Duchene, Faith Eggersgluess, Brayden Ekstedt, Mikayla Ertz, Ella Ferrie, Taylor Finley, Garland Gibbs, Cole Glenna, Lucas Golon, Kellen Gorman, Wade Guillaume, Joshua Guptill, Thomas Hahn, Trenten Halls, Haylee Hanna, Annabelle Hanson, Kaylee Johnson, Trevor Jordan, Colton Kane, Grant Kuehl, Tanner Logan, Taylor Martin, Hannah Mechtel, Kaylee Meyer, Nandi Muller, Avery Nelson, Summer Nelson, Ava Nichols, Charlie Nihart, Robert Novick, Eldon Olson, Madison Perreault, Amanda Piatz, Parker Pillar, Hunter Riemenschneider, Braeden Rood, Cora Sayotovich, Samantha Schlavin, Dakoda Schmidt, Madison Schmidt, Adrianna Schroeder, Gavin Schultz, Dylan Schuno, Marshall Seitz, Haley Stavig, Nolan Stepp, Landon Utecht, Gabriel Widenstrom, Bailey Witte
St. Agnes, St. Paul
Monica LeVesseur
Parents: Wallace and Pamela LeVesseur
College, major: University of St. Thomas, Catholic studies
Quote: “The past is no longer yours; the future is not yet in your power. You have only the present wherein to do good.” — St. Alphonsus Liguori
Myles Kobbermann
Parents: Cyril and Kathleen Kobbermann
Next: Discerning priesthood
Quote: “Be strong and of good courage; be not frightened, neither be dismayed; for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9
Joshua Walter
Parents: Gwyn and Brian Walter
College, major: North Dakota State University, engineering
Quote: “To live without faith, without a heritage to defend, without battling constantly for truth, is not to live but to ‘get along’; we must never just get along.” — Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati
Helena Derosier
Parents: Stephen and Carina Derosier
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, biochemistry/pre-med
Quote: “Love is never wasted, for its value does not rest on reciprocity.” — C. S. Lewis.
Shayla Le
Parents: Tri and Julie Le
College, major: St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, biology
Quote: “I prefer you make mistakes in kindness than work miracles in unkindness.” – St. Teresa of Calcutta
Andy Yang
Parents: Nyiasean Yang and Houa Lee
College, major: Carleton College, biology and philosophy on a pre-med track
Quote: “Here is a commandment for you: seek happiness in sorrow.” – “Brothers Karamazov,” Fyodor Dostoevsky
Micah Lehnen
Parents: Randy and Jennifer Lehnen
College, major: University of St. Thomas, philosophy
Quote: “Do not be afraid to be holy! Have the courage and humility to present yourselves to the world determined to be holy, since full, true freedom is born from holiness.” — Pope John Paul II
Betanya Fida
Parent: Abera Gebremariam and Temernesh Yesuf
College, major: University of Southern California, design
Quote: “When are we going to understand that we are put on this Earth to love, that’s all it’s about.” — Kendrick Lamar
Eileen Dobie
Parents: Brian and Jill Dobie
College: Benedictine College, Atchison, Kan.
Quote: “It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be ground down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and more fraternal.” — Pope John Paul II
Elizabeth Williams
Parents: Jennifer and Byron Williams
College, major: University of St. Thomas, Catholic studies
Quote: “The secret of happiness is to live moment by moment and to thank God for all that He, in His goodness, sends to us day after day.” — St. Giana Molla
St. Anthony Village
Fiona Barquero Raivo, Campbell Botts, Cameron Burns, Ava Busch Manske, Emma Campoverde, Bryn Cannon, Linnea Cary, Isabella Cassidy, Jameson Chaput, Erika Dierke, Dominic Dunn, Henry Henjum, Annie Juncal Rodriguez, Stella Kiemele, Henry Kling, Philip Kram, Neve Mantras, Benjamin Matre, Sophia Moracco, Hans Otte, Meghan Przybilla, Berit Rosenstiel, Kristen Townsend, Cooper Van Buren, Jackson Walbridge, Tate Wiese, Gavin Zwiefelhofer
St. Croix Central, Hammond, Wis.
Summa cum laude: Faith Bonse, Maximum Etzler, Olivia Gordon, Ellen Hansen, Emily Kobilka, Alexander LaPean, Sophia Madlung, Lucille Mansell, Payton Merth, Brody Peissig, Isabelle Sabelko, Christian Tritz, Muakong Yang
Magna cum laude: Reese Heebink, Teague Holzer, Sidnie Roshell
Cum laude: Savannah Briese, Harper DuMond, Lillyan Hansen, Kendall Sundby
St. Croix Falls, Wis.
Valedictorians
Aliana Smith
Parents: Steven and Darlene Smith
College, major: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Biology
Alexandra Lehman
Parents: Jared and Rebecca Lehman
College, major: University of Northwestern-St. Paul, integrated biology/business
Loganne Marks
Parents: Bryan and Heidi Marks
College, major: Viterbo University, La Crosse, Wis.; nursing
Morgan Marks
Parents: Bryan and Heidi Marks
College, major: University of Wisconsin-Madison, biology/genetics
Ayla Schmidt
Parents: Chris and Sarah Schmidt
College, major: University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, integrated biology/business
Ella Stenberg
Parents: Steven and Rebecca Stenberg
College, major: University of St. Thomas, psychology
Salutatorian
Peyton Park
Parents: Matthew and Danielle Park
College, major: University of Minnesota-Duluth, business/finance
College: The Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, Ga.
Owen Burkart
Parents: Jonathan and Kelly Burkart
College: University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Georgia Dickson
Parents: Brent and Jennifer Dickson
College: College of St. Scholastica, Duluth
Grace Doering
Parents: Jon and Amy Doering
College: Iowa State University; Ames, Iowa
Laura Hauge
Parents: Thomas and Carla Hauge
College: University of St. Thomas
Quan Hoang
Parents: Tue and Mai Hoang
College: University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Hye-Rynn Jeong
Parents: Jaeseung Jeong and Junghyun Jo
College: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Tabitha Johnson
Parents: Sheldon and Lura Johnson
College: Minnesota State University, Mankato
Silas Krueger
Parents: Brian and Kristin Krueger
Marco Moreira Da Rocha Rodrigues
Parents: Antonio Rodrigues and Mariana Moreira Da Rocha
Next: school in Brazil
Hanna Myrlie
Parent: Jason Myrlie
College: University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Maximilian Noe
Parents: Travis and Stephanie Noe
College: Minnesota State University, Mankato
Will Olson
Parents: Benjamin and Sara Olson
College: Minnesota State University, Mankato
Alex Rosin
Parents: Adam and Sara Rosin
College: University of Iowa, Iowa City
Eli Schneider
Parents: Daniel and Kim Schneider
College: University of Arizona, Tucson
SeEun Sohn
Parent: Jiyoung Lee
College: Michigan State University, East Lansing
Delia Walters
Parents: Daniel and Elizabeth Walters
College: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists
By GPA
Luci Aslakson, Marley Burrowes, Sibella Leeling, Maxwell Weston, Ava Larson, Ben Peterson, Ruby Mesas, Stella Pihlstrom, Luke Jeschke, Kamarah Maynard, Charlie Peterson, Owen Gilman, Arayah Maynard, Irene Weinhagen, Lily Giblin, Sophia Islam, Jules Wallinga, Jo Nassif, Michelle Cool, Ella Ashford
St. Paul Public Schools Online
Distinguished graduates: Louis Manders, Donna Moreno, Tania Pliego-Lopez, Lauren Stamps, George Vang, Xander Wheatley, Isabella Xiong
St. Thomas Academy, Mendota Heights
Summa cum laude
Nathan Aamodt, Maxwell MapelLentz, Jackson Najarian, Max Anderson, Chihuu Nguyen, Matthew Marvin, August Tennessen, Marcus Ugo Adarve, Liam Carey, Dominic Castro, Sean Happe, Jack Lewin, Daven Sancho Figueroa, Michael Stavseth, Caleb Ling, Avery Millican, Augustus Mahler, Lukas Markert, Declan Wilson, Benjamin Cardwell, Robert Wollan Jr., James Zavoral III, Jack Gorden, Charles Meyer, Graham Sukup, Ian Kirvida, Michael Orme, Isaac Wagner, Jack Groppoli, William Barth, Charles Kern, Declan Schultz, Cadence Caruso, Henry Cleary, Charles Bagley, Max Iffert, Daniel Podolyan, Jeremiah Rushing, William Stone
Simley, Inver Grove Heights
Summa cum laude
Erik Aparicio-Lopez, Nicholas Binsfeld, Rose Burrows, Valerie DuVal, Abe Engleson, Ella Erdman, Bailey Frank, Gwynn Gorter, Austin Grzywinski, Kristina Gurgel, Katalena Hay, Theodore Hepper, Brittany Hernandez, Imaria Im, Alice Islam, Anna Kos, Hannah Kurowski, Jonah Leonida, Abigale Lindquist, Thomas Lorentz, Amanda MacDougall Quesada, Daniel Martin, Lily Mattsen, Megan Miles, Jazlynn Nelson, Madeline Ngo, Tapio Niemioja, Hao Phung, Avery Renslow, Kenia Rivera Mendoza, Valeria Salcido Rodriguez, Liam Sanford, Rachael Scufsa, James Swearingen, Jordan Tschida-Nitti, Louis Tuccitto, Mary Yassa
Somerset, Wis.
Summa cum laude: Makena Ducklow, Nolan Harty, Julia Hills, Peyton Kirchner, Caeden Kreibich, Talon Lane, Dylan Livingston, Ellie Melvin, Jenna Peper, Alyssa Plantenberg, Ashlyn Rice, Hayley Settem, Elizabeth Wilson
Magna cum laude: Malachy Driscoll, Payton Fuller, Caymen Gebheim, Natalie Hansen, Mason Miller, Ella Reese, Julia Rybacki, Ava Urquhart, Joon Vang, Conrad Webb
Cum laude: Jaelinn Caroon, Julius Cook Jr., Riley Donahue, Sophia Emmert, Isabella Eskierka, Ellen Fohrenkamm, Ayden Grover, Sydney Hahn, Brielle Harris, Madisyn Hohler, Rachel Hoyt, Aiden Johnson, Ellie Kjellberg, Morgan Kjellberg, Samantha Klabechek, Adam Knefelkamp, Kaiden McWillimas, Brooke Olson, Jessa Patterson, Riley Perro, Kendra Pritchett, Gabriella Richert, Sophia Schiavone, Ada Schottler, Ava Young
South St. Paul
Andrew Bonk.
Parents: Phil and Marissa Bonk
College, major: St. Olaf College, exercise science/kinesiology
Quote: “It ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!” — Rocky Balboa, “Rocky Balboa (2006)”
Zachary Becker
Parents: Brian Becker and Angela Becker
College, major: University of St. Thomas, business management
Quote: “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” — Heraclitus
Mallory Brandecker
Parents: Bob and Jamie Brandecker
College, major: University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, rehabilitation science
Broderyck Shepard
Parent: Jamie Shepard
College, major: Boston College, engineering
Quote: “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”
Noah Oeffling
Parents: Phillip and Theresa Oeffling
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, business
Jenna Sherry
Parents: Sara Madden and Matthew Sherry
College, major: University of St. Thomas, exercise science
Quote: “The belonging you seek is not behind you, it is ahead.” — Maz Kanata, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”
Dionna Uzueta-Lucio
Parents: Char Ferraro, Jim Ferraro and Shantell Lucio
College, major: St. Olaf College, history and biology
Quote: “When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” — Sherlock Holmes stories, Arthur Conan Doyle
Izaak Burk
Parents: Joe Burk and Nikki Burk
College, major: Jacksonville, Fla., University; aviation management and flight operations
Meghan Colebeck
Parents: Suzy and Kyle Colebeck
College, major: Gustavus Adolphus College, biology
Eva Beck
Parents: Peter and Shannon Beck
College, major: University of Minnesota-Duluth, chemical engineering
Stillwater Area
Top 5 percent
Samuel Young, Meredith Christensen, Violet Johnson, Lillian Smith, Ethan Foote, Paige Hebert, Zachary Nelson, Jesse Hendrickson, John Dieterle, Cole Handberg, Anna Corbid, Kendall Arsenault, Cohen Smith, Lucy Wilcek, Nadwah Mohammed, Michael Fredericks, Griffin Stone, Chloe Fliflet, Nathan Harvey, Corey Walsh, Sarah Fentaw, Olivia Williams, Cayman Pagel, Joseph Hoheisel, Eleyna Dizon, Brady Bushlack, Amelia Brower, Ava Erickson, Jeffrey Heidtke, Grace Grant, Paige Schmit, Carter Magistad, James Daum, Jordan Fauks, Alexandra Funk
Tartan, Oakdale
Kierstin Quam
Parent: Rachel Quam
College, major: University of Wisconsin-Madison, computer engineering
Quote: “A little nervous breakdown can really work wonders for a girl.” — Rory Gilmore, “Gilmore Girls”
Asia Vue
Parents: Pao Vue and Pa Lee
College, major: University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management, marketing
Quote: “How dare we sit quietly, and watch the world pass us by.” – “The Night Is Still Young,” Nicki Minaj
Abigail Larson
Parents: Julie and Jason Larson
College, major: University of Wisconsin-Madison, biomedical engineering
Quote: “Since I first gained the use of reason, my inclination toward learning has been so violent and strong that neither the scoldings of other people … nor my own reflections … have been able to stop me from following this natural impulse that God gave me.” — Juana Ines de la Cruz, whose scholarly work was condemned by the Bishop of Puebla as being inappropriate for her gender
Benjamin Fox
Parents: Andy and Lara Fox
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, aerospace engineering
Quote: “Once something is a passion, the motivation is there.” — Michael Schumacher, German racing driver
Ramadan Jato Ambo
Parents: Makia Biftu Roba and Jato Ambo Chabsi
College, major: University of Minnesota, biomedical engineering
Quote: “We will certainly test you with a touch of fear and famine and loss of property, life, and crops. Give good news to those who patiently endure — who say, when struck by a disaster, ‘Surely to Allah we belong and to Him we will all return.’” — Quran 2:155, 2:156
Justin Kardong
Parents: Elizabeth Kardong and Jesse Kardong
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, anthropology
Quote: “Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.” — Aristotle
Kyle Schieffer
Parent: Anthony Schieffer
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, computer engineering
Quote: “The convoluted wording of legalisms grew up around the necessity to hide from ourselves the violence we intend toward each other. Between depriving a man of one hour from his life and depriving him of his life there exists only a difference of degree. You have done violence to him, consumed his energy. Elaborate euphemisms may conceal your intent to kill, but behind any use of power over another the ultimate assumption remains: ‘I feed on your energy.’” – “Dune Messiah,” Frank Herbert
Lily Kugler
Parent: Anna Wiatros
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, mathematics
Quote: “We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” — Maya Angelou
Lexi Lamprecht
Parents: James and Michelle Lamprecht
College, major: Century College, marketing and business management
Quote: “If you don’t build your own dream, someone else will hire you to build theirs.”
Suhayla Aden
Parent: Nimo Salim
College, major: University of Minnesota, nursing
Quote: “An open mind is your strongest suit.”
Trinity School at River Ridge, Eagan
Cum laude
Graduate award: Anna Becker
Parents: Steven and Ling Becker
College: University of Dallas, Irving, Texas
Graduate award: Xavier Distelzweig
Parents: Peter and Chezarae Distelzweig
College: St. Olaf College
Luke Andry
Parents: Kory and Leslie Andry
College: University of St. Thomas
Jack Bascom
Parents: Joel and Stephanie Bascom
College: University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Illani Buckholdt
Parents: Mark and Illiana Buckholdt
College: University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Isabel Cunningham
Parents: Ben and Lucy Cunningham
College: University of Mary, Bismarck N.D.
Justin Groppel
Parents: David and Karen Groppel
College: University of St. Thomas
Alicia Guo
Parents: Zhengyu Guo and Annie Xu
College: University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Soren Jacobs
Parents: Matthew and Jennifer Jacobs
College: Wheaton College, Wheaton, Ill.
Samuel Reinhardt
Parents: Jim and Nadine Reinhardt
College: University of Mary, Bismarck, N.D.
Bridget Tabor
Parents: Dave and Sara Tabor
College: Benedictine College, Atchinson, Kan.
Hosea Wohler
Parents: Peter and Jessica Wohler
College: South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, Rapid City
Twin Cities Academy
Miriam Schauer
Parents: Rebecca and Kenneth Schauer
College, major: University of Wisconsin-Madison, astronomy
Luke Runquist
Parents: Alicia and Christopher Runquist
College: Carleton College
Seth Engstrom
Parents: Kim and Joel Engstrom
College, major: University of St. Thomas, mathematics
Nathanael Rahberg
Parents: Elizabeth and Samuel Rahberg
College, major: The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque; exercise science
Phetsara Vu
Parents: Youa Hang and Gao Neng Vu
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, biochemistry
Oskar Buterin
Parents: Jennifer Ampulski and Steve Buterin
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, biochemistry
Lucy Po
Parents: Hsarbee and Zamber Po
College, major: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, marketing
Jared Mora Gonzalez
Parents: Amahirani Mora Gonzalez and Luis Arenales
College, major: University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management, accounting
Jayda Ostertag
Parents: Jamie and Dirk Ostertag
College, major: University of St. Thomas, business
Alana Vang
Parent: Deanna Vue
College, major: University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management, business administration
Two Rivers, Mendota Heights
Highest honors
Yasmin Abdullahi, Meron Abebe, Eyual Alemayehu, Amen Alemu, Brady Altier, Mia Amadick, Samuel Amundson, Nara Anderson, Ava Appleton, Maria Axinia, Charlotte Barry, Makenna Bishop, Joshua Brandt, Maria Brizuela Ventura, Caroline Brown, Savannah Carr, Elliot Chandler, Mia Cheesebrough, Isak Christopherson, Brenda Cruz Mejia, Jack Dahlager, Ashley Denenholz, Samuel Dereje, Amelia Dirksen, Natalie Dirksen, Andrew Eckmann, Adalyn Fernandes, Avery Franco, Nathan Frisch, Gray Gallant, Finley Gustafson, Brandon Hanson, Zamzam Hassan, Quinn Hendel, Madeleine Hendricks, Allison Henning, Alissa Hughes, Quinlin Huntley, Sophia Kanavati, Nina Kanavati, Erik Kellogg, Gabrielle Kirchner, Griffin Lawrence, Sofia Littlefield, Grace Lyles, Maia McDougall, Marjorie McEllistrem, Ashley McKennell, Althea Meyer, Ezra Mogelson, Polly Morgan, Julia Munson, Lauren Noggle, Samuel Odden, Riley Pearce, Nayelly Perez Fuentes, Sophia Rash, Luke Reisig, Enrique Rodriguez, Emily Rosen, Brittany Sanchez-Castillo, Chloe Schell, Lucia Schomer, Zachary Seabright, Kiran Sharma, Tate Slowiak, Kyle Smith, Jesus Solarte Borjas, Sophia Soriano, John Staples, Jonathan Steiner, Ashlyn Stone, Alexandra Taney, Isabella Tollefson, Dasha Volkmann, Lucy Wedewer, Anna Wilson, Ethan Young
Unity, Balsam Lake, Wis.
Sloan Horgan
College: University of Wisconsin-Stout
Wyatt Kocurek
College: Northland College, Ashland, Wis.
Megan Collins
College: Gustavus Adolphus College
Ann Boland
College: University of St. Thomas
Maggie Brown
College: Concordia College, Moorhead
Sophia Crowe
College: Winona State University
Rebecca McGrane
Next: workforce
Michael Boland
College: Northland College, Ashland, Wis.
Sydney Smith
College: University of Wisconsin-Superior
Madison Reed
College: University of Minnesota Duluth
Shelby Perron
College: University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Alexis Nadeau
College: University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Max Butala
Next: military, foreign service officer
Visitation, Mendota Heights
Paige Abbott
Parents: Kirsten and Chad Abbott
College: College of St. Benedict
Kenley Barberot
Parents: Christina and David Barberot
College: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.
Ella Doyle
Parents: Katie and Sean Doyle
College: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Grace Keeley
Parents: Anne and Joseph Keeley
College: Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
Claire Kodama
Parents: Catherine and Scott Kodama
College: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Mary Kolar
Parents: Amy and Mike Kolar
College: University of Notre Dame
Virginia Kraus
Parents: Paula and Thomas Kraus
College: Creighton University, Omaha, Neb.
Sophia Kyba
Parents: Rita and Michael Kyba
College: Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Mich.
Grace Loonan
Parents: Kelly McSweeney and Michael Loonan
College: University of Notre Dame
Caitlin Mulligan
Parents: Diane and Don Mulligan
College: Boston College
Lucy O’Brien
Parents: Amy and John O’Brien
College: Tufts University, Medford, Mass.
Ava Raiter
Parents: Elizabeth and Shawn Raiter
College: Boston College
Anne Swanholm
Parents: Nancy and John Swanholm
College: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Fernanda Sanchez-Torres gives her friend Melissa Puertas-Sosa a hug before the Washington Technology Magnet school commencement at Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul on June 5. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
Eh Bahso Lay, left, and Nwal Ali, try to calm the butterflies as they wait for the procession to begin at the Washington Technology Magnet school commencement. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
Moiuachi Vang, center, gets a hand getting dressed by his friends Marcus Vang, left, and Soob Looj Lao before the Washington Technology Magnet school commencement. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
Jorge Vargas waves to family at the start of the Washington Technology Magnet school commencement. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
Sumaya Hassan shows off her diploma to friends and family as principal Elias Oguz applauds. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
Malega Mupenda dances for joy after receiving his diploma. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
Moyosoreoluwa Akinsanya takes a picture of assembled friends before the Washington Technology Magnet school commencement. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
Abdifatah Abdi holds up his diploma. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
Jana Shane shows off her nails that she had done for her graduation. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
Xavier Vang holds up his diploma. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
Samira Abdi shows off her diploma to family and friends. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
Andres Zuniga-Winter, left, helps Dah Lay Moo with his cap. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
Washington Technology Magnet school graduates listen to a speaker. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
With bobby pin on finger, Eh Paw, rear, helps Eh Taw Htoo secure his cap as the pair get ready for the Washington Technology Magnet commencement. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
Fairy Vang waits with her fellow graduates for the procession to begin. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
Graduates at Washington Technology Magnet school throw their caps into the air at the conclusion of commencement at Roy Wilkins Auditorium. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
Parents: HIldegard Schneider and Thomas Spielbauer
College, major: University of North Carolina at Charlotte, psychology and data science
Quote: “Enjoy the little things.”
Tony Baston
Parents: David and Jennifer Baston
College, major: Iowa State University; computer science, agricultural systems technology
Quote: “I don’t care what you do. If you are a garbage collector, be the best garbage collector.” — Paul Alsides
Kate Westlake
Parents: Michele and Jeremy Westlake
College, major: Duke University, Durham, N.C.; public policy
Quote: “The end of all knowledge should be service to others.” — Cesar Chavez
Yifan Zhai
Parents: Guangshu Zhai and Xia Mei
College, major: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; bioengineering
Quote: “Let us make our future now, and let us make our dreams tomorrow’s reality.” — Malala Yousafzai
Eunsol Lee
Parents: Eun Kyung Baek and Seong Taek Lee
College, major: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, electrical engineering
Quote: “I didn’t think I would be prime minister, because I didn’t consider it. But that’s the power of saying yes, because there will be a moment when someone asks you to do something beyond your comfort zone. I am not unique.” — Jacinda Ardern, former Prime Minister of New Zealand
Nora Kelly
Parents: Jean and Neil Kelly
College, major: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.; architecture
Quote: “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
Liam Frommelt
Parents: Bill and Jennifer Frommelt
College: Gustavus Adolphus College
Quote: “If you see me in a fight with a bear, pray for the bear.” — Kobe Bryant
