In this most unusual school year, St. Michael-Albertville school district leadership still found many exemplary, hardworking students worthy of recognition for their efforts in 2019-2020. In all, about 470 students should have received academic awards at a ceremony this month, which has been canceled due to COVID-19.
The highest of these honors, the Student of the Year Award, recognizes one student per grade level. Staff selects the winners based on their academic performance, classroom participation, and contributions to STMA High School outside of the classroom. This year’s winners include: Hannah Kvant, grade 9, Trinity Hanif, grade 10, Ashley Cushman, grade 11, and Indigo Rowland, grade 12.
freshman Hannah Kvant
sophomore Trinity Hanif
junior Ashley Cushman
senior Indigo Rowland
The Student of Excellence Award recognizes the top four students, academically, of a graduating class, but the Class of 2020’s group includes seven students due to a tie. The seven young ladies tying for the top four spots include: Lillian Albrecht, Ella Herbst, Ashley Peters, Indigo Rowland, Maria Sylvester, Paige McAloon, and Isabella Youngberg.
Another senior-only award, the AAA Award, is given by the Minnesota State High School League in recognition of excellence in academics, athletics, and the arts. The League chose Samantha Duerr and Boston Merila for this honor from STMA.
The MSHSL also sponsors the ExCEL Award for juniors who are active in school activities, show leadership qualities, and volunteer in their community. They recognized Chloe Steinke and Cobin Szymanski for this honor.
The awards ceremony would also have recognized the high school’s national-level award winners from the past school year, including three students who received National Scholastic Art & Writing awards and three who received National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition Awards. The Scholastic award winners include Natalia Figueroa (gold medal in sculpture), Ava Marquette (gold medal in drawing/illustration) and Jade Resner (silver medal in digital art). Ceramic award winners include Anna Belair, Ian Halvorson, and Veronica Jacques.
Seniors who received an award picked them up at their cap and gown pick-up this week, and winners from the other three grades will receive their awards when they return school materials in early June.
Last, but not least, are the large number of students who earned an Academic Letter (AL) Award or a department award for their outstanding efforts throughout the 2019-2020 school year. An asterisk denotes a GPA of 4.0 or higher. Codes for department awards are as follows:
A = Art B = Business E = English
EL = English Learner F = FACS KA = Knights Academy
H = Health M = Mathematics Mu = Music
PE = Physical Ed. Sc = Science SS = Social Studies
T = Tech. Ed/Engineering W = World Language WTC = Wright Technical Center
9th Grade:
Belinda Aydt – AL
Ashlynn Badenoch – AL*
Olivia Becker – AL
Alexander Behrens – SS
Nicole Braun – AL*, SS
Drew Bushard – AL*, Sc, SS
Emma Caballero – AL*, M
Carter Campbell – AL
Abigail Carroll – AL
Jade Cheng – AL, W
Kaitlin Christensen – AL*, E
Holly Christman – AL
Natalie Cocking – AL
Bennett Cotterman – AL*, M
Gracie Crowell – AL
Chloe Davis – AL
Eli Davis – AL*, Sc
Olivia Dembouski – AL
Emma Donndelinger – AL
Julia Dupay – AL*, M
Serenity Durre – AL
Sauvy Bryon Ellah Nernyuy – PE
Kailyn Ellinghuysen – AL
Nathan Engman – AL, M, Sc
Paige Fischer – AL*, E
Maura Gjesvold – AL, PE
Spencer Hanson – AL
Kayla Hass – AL*
Abigail Hauxwell – AL*
Mary Hegrenes – AL*
Tyson Hentges – AL
Gwen Herbst – AL*, E, M, Sc
Jubilee Rose Heu – AL*, Sc
Aliya Hjelle – AL
Lauren Hoselton – AL, PE
Holly Hultman – PE
Ellie Hunsley – AL
Rebecca Immer – AL
Avery Jackson – AL
Tyler Jordan – PE
Leo Krueger – SS
Hannah Kvant – AL*, E, PE, Sc, SS
Norah Langager – AL*, E, SS
Tam Le – AL
Brynn Leshovsky – AL
Magdalene Lindeman – AL
Charlie Lund – AL
Ava Marquette – AL*
Mia Marthaler – AL
Kaitlyn Martin – AL
Madison Martin – AL
Morgan McKinley – AL*, PE, M
Emily Mueller – AL
Sydney Nemeth – AL, Sc
Lucas Przybylski – AL, H
Faith Ramsay – AL
Paige Reineke – AL
Isabella Rice – AL
Piper Richardson – H
Ethan Ricks-Wesseh – W
Ani Ringat – AL
Riley Roberts – AL
Halle Rothman – AL
Caitlyn Seaver – AL*, E, M
Madison Skogsberg – AL
Ashton Szymanski – AL*, M, Sc
Tyrone Trader – H, SS
Jakob Vagts – AL
Bill Vajhmoob – AL
Owen VanDeRiet – AL*, E, M, Sc
Abigail VanHeel – PE, SS
Alicia Vosberg – AL*
Julia Wagner – AL
Audie Wandmacher – T
Jadyn Weiser – AL*
Rosemary Wick – AL*
10th Grade:
Kaleb Aguirre – AL
Esma Ali – E
Kaden Amundson – AL, Sc
Emma Anderson – AL
Matthew Andrews – AL
Rachel Andrews – AL*
Nicholas Avery – AL
Jacob Bakke – PE
Brooke Beck – AL*, E, M, Sc
Luis Antonio Behling – AL
Kylie Bjork – AL
Mason Blake – AL
Parker Bluhm – AL
Benjamin Boebel – AL, H
Carter Bolduc – AL
Andrew Bot – AL
Dylan Bottolfson – PE
Alexander Bourget – AL, Sc
Grady Breen – SS
Ellie Breuer – AL
Jacob Breuer – H
Olivia Brill – AL*, Sc, W
Margot Bromley – AL*
Ai-Quynh Bui – E
Ella Chambers – AL
Gail Chea – H
Robert Clike – AL
Emma Cliff – SS
Jackson Collins – AL
Rachel DeLong – AL
Sarah DeMatteis – AL*, E, M, SS
Ryan Dornfeld – AL, H, M, W
Hendrick England – AL, E, Sc
Sawyer Forsberg- AL, E, PE
Casey Fredrickson – AL
Eva Grahl – AL
Trinity Hanif – AL*, E, M, SS
Ananda Hart – AL
Kailey Hemish – AL
Adam Herbst – AL, H
Hannah Hoglund – AL
Micah Holt – AL*, M
Madeleine Iverson – AL*, M, Sc, SS
Lillian Jugasek – AL
Dylan Jurmu – AL*, H, Sc
Rebecca Kosey – AL
Jamie Lee – AL
Ava Lenneman – AL*, H, M
Peyton Lenz – AL, W
Lila Lindemann – AL
Kristy Lindenfelser – AL*, W
Maggie Lombardi – AL, H, M
Andrew Markson – AL
Rylan Maynard – AL
Emma McAlpine – AL
Katelyn McKimmy – AL*, M
Angelika Mehes – AL
Brody Merila – AL
Brenna Milless – AL
Casey Moon – SS
Jackson Moorman – AL*
Blazden Mueller – Sc
Olivia Munger – AL*
Adeley Murkins – AL, SS
Alec Myhre – AL
Owen Neros – AL, SS
Alexander Nesenson – AL, W
Rowan Nevala – Sc
Tyler Olson – AL, SS
Robert Peiler – AL
Alexis Polfliet – AL
Alexandra Roemer – AL
Sydney Rogers – AL
Riley Rohrer – SS
Maria Rydberg – AL*
Julia Scheelk – AL
Brittney Schoen – AL, E
Rachael Shedlov – AL
Kevin Shull – AL*, M
Trevor Shull – AL
Kari Smelter – AL
Grace Spitalnick – AL
Brianna Stacherski – AL
MaryGrace Steffl – AL*
Danielle Steinke – AL*
Ian Strusz – AL
Raelin Sustacek – AL
Janelle Sylvester – AL*, E, M, SS, W
Lauren Tatro – AL
Eleanor Thompson-Witt – AL
Trevor Thorp – AL*, E, SS
Emma Videen – AL
Julia Weigle – AL*, E
Megan Woitalla – AL
Tatianna Woods – F
Tayler Zingelman – AL
Ava Zoellmer – AL*
11th Grade:
Sydney Aandal – AL*
Justin Anderson – AL
Brady Bannick – AL
Aidan Barnes – AL
Nadia Barnes – AL, T
Tyler Barrett – AL
Mackenzie Barth – AL*, E, M, Sc, SS
Jalyssa Beaudry – AL
Shaya Bebensee-Hansen – AL
Zachariah Becker – AL, W
Alisa Beljulji – KA
Isabel Berning – AL
Sophia Bloomstrand – AL, E
Frederick Booker – E
Ryan Boston – AL*
Kaitlyn Braun – AL*, M, W
Abby Buckmeier – AL
Adam Buckmeier – AL
Jacob Bunnell – AL
Holly Carlson – AL
Liana Carriker – AL
James Cheaye – AL
Samuel Christenson – AL
Ellsie Covert – AL*, E, SS
Ashley Cushman – AL*, E, M, Sc, SS, W
Cole Dahlheimer – AL
Molly Davison – AL
Mya Decker – AL
Raya Decker – AL*
Madilynn Demo – AL
Jack Denne – AL
Ezra Dickerson – PE
Livia Dombeck – AL, SS
Ginger Downey – AL
Isaac Dupay – AL*
Isabelle Durre – AL*
Kylie Elert – AL
Lydia Ellison – AL
Curtis Ferrin – AL*, SS
Natalia Figueroa – A
Anah Fitzgerald – AL
Clayton Follett – T
Elizabeth Frelich – AL*, T
Eric Gao – AL*, M, Sc
Ethan Geray – AL
Ella Gigstead – AL
Sterling Gjesvold – AL
Tyler Glass – AL, W
Mia Grabau – AL
Parker Grant – AL, M
Colten Gustafson – AL
Gabriella Haines – AL, H
Emma Hamilton – AL
Erin Hamilton – AL*, Sc
Madelynn Hanson – AL*, M
Raelyn Hastings – AL
Alycia Haus – AL
Jonathan Helm – AL*, M, Sc
Zachary Helman – AL
Olivia Hirschey – AL
Hannah Hodge – AL
Maiya Hofmeister – AL
Hayden Huber – AL
Julia Huetteman – AL
Jessica Huser – AL
Jessica Immer – AL
Maycee Jahnke – AL
Alayna Johnson – AL
Brooke Johnson – AL
Luke Johnson – AL, Sc
Grant Johnston – AL, W
Rachel Jossart – AL
Victoria Kangas – AL*, E, SS
Manisha Kawallram – AL
Caden Kelly – AL
Alyssa Krueger – AL
Ryan Kucera – AL
Braeden Kummer – T
Adam Kvant – AL
Lydia Lamey – AL*, SS
Kyle Lenneman – PE
Jack LeZalla – SS
Owen Lindstrom – AL*
James Lyke – AL*, E, M, Sc
Tanner Mackie – AL
Abbylee Maeder – AL*
Jorge Mancilla – WTC
Callie Martin – AL
Sarah Marty – AL
Christopher Matheson – AL
Samantha Matheson – AL*, F, Sc
Natalie Mazurek – AL*
Ashlyn McClintock – AL*
Megan McDowell – AL
Adeline Meyer – AL*
Mara Nehring – AL, SS
Olivia Neros – AL
Matthew Nowell – AL
Courtney Olin – AL
Grace Olson – AL*
Trent O’Neill – AL*, T
Emma Ostrowski – AL, E
Nathan Pedersen – T
Adalyn Pederson – AL*, E, M
Thomas Pederson – SS
Dominic Perez – AL
Lisa Peters – AL, F, SS
Owen Petersen – AL
Hailey Peterson – AL
Haley Peterson – AL
Kaitlyn Peterson – AL
Alexis Peyerl – AL
Eryn Pfeifer – AL
Simon Pierce – AL
Dominic Pizano – AL, SS
Jordan Pufahl – AL
Anika Rickard – AL
Jakson Ringat – AL
Faye Roberts – AL, SS
Locke Rowland – AL*, E, M, Sc
Hillary Sann – AL
Brianna Seaver – AL*, M, Sc
Gracine Sime – AL*, M
Noah Simon – AL
Colin Sorenson – AL
Chloe Steinke – AL, SS
Claire Sunsten – AL
Max Sutter – B
Cobin Szymanski – AL*, E, SS, W
Emma Thole – AL
Ashley Thompson – AL, B
Faith Valen – AL
Emma VanHeel – AL
Mya VanKuyk – AL
Kenna Vorgert – AL
Jonah Vrkljan – AL
Jackson Watson – AL
Lauren Welle – AL*, M, Sc
Ava Windel – AL
Derek Zahler – AL
Rheana Zerna – AL
12th Grade:
Tanvi Abraham – AL
Lillian Albrecht – AL*, E, M, SS
Tarik AlDuri – A
Vanessa Alexander – B
Kallyn Amundson – AL*, A
Abby Anderson – AL
Cassidy Anderson – AL
Dylan Anderson – SS
Jacob Anderson – AL
Jacob Asleson – B
Isabella Baldwin – Mu
Taylor Beeler – AL
Anna Belair – AL, A
Emery Bell – AL*, Mu, W
Cora Benker – AL
Tiffany Bounnakhom – AL, E
Garrett Bradt – A
Samantha Brown – AL*, Mu, SS
Collin Brunet – AL
Matthew Bury – AL, WTC
Nicholas Camp – AL
Kallie Campbell – WTC
Ellie Cary – AL
Mariah Christensen – AL
Hannah Christman – AL
Megan Copeland – B
Grace Davis – AL, E
Danay Dehmer – B
Jared Dick – AL
Samuel Dierberger – E, SS, T
Jack Dodge – AL
Samantha Duerr – AL*
Olivia Egbert – AL*
Nicholas Eicher – AL, M, Sc
Emma Ericksen – AL*, Mu
Joshua Eull – AL, A
Kayla Fairburn – AL
Grange Farr – B
Morgan Fischer – AL*, E, Sc, SS, W
Gavin Fredrichs – AL
Claire Fredrickson – B
Sophie Fritz – AL
Kolby Gartner – AL
Kyra Geiger – AL
John Gerads – AL*
Antoria Glass – WTC
Kailey Glunz – AL
Olivia Grochow – Mu, T
Alexandra Haas – Mu
Ella Herbst – AL*, E, M, W
Gabriel Hjelle – AL*, M
Brooke Hunsley – AL
Sudi Hussein – EL
Veronica Jacques – AL, A
Hunter Jans – AL
Zachary Jans – B
Erin Jensen – AL
Madison Johnshoy – AL*
Madalyn Johnson – Mu
Elizabeth Jones – A
Joshua Kainz – AL, Mu
Erna Karic – AL*
Cody Kelly – B
McKenzie Kelly – SS
Sean Kennedy – AL, B
Benjamin Kloss – Mu
Eiley Koivisto – AL
Greta Korpi – AL
Mackenzie Kramer – AL*
Jordan Krupke – B
Christian Labrador – AL*, E, M, Sc, SS, W
Skyler LaCoursiere – PE
Grace Lamprecht – AL, F
Luc Laylin – AL
Katie Lenneman – AL
Hunter Lenz – AL, W
Wyatt Lidberg – AL, B
Carter Lilledahl – KA
Anna Lindemann – AL
Thomas Litwiller – AL
Michael Malkowiak – AL
Emily Markgraf – AL, A
Garrik Martin – Sc
Paige McAloon – AL*, M, W
Jacob McIsaac – AL*, M, Sc, W
Peyton McLean – AL
Marli Meilahn – AL
Mitchell Meilahn – Mu
Boston Merila – AL
Kyle Mialkowski – AL
Sidney Mitchell – AL
Noah Ness – B
Tiffany Nguyen – A
Andrew Nietfeld – AL, M
Callie Nordberg – AL*
Samantha Och – AL
Jordyn Ohlander – B
Gabriella Olsen – AL*, E, M , SS, W
Hailey Olson – Sc
Samantha Palmer – AL*, Sc
Tessa Palmer – Mu
Brooks Parkin – SS
Madeline Patterson – AL
Samuel Patton – AL*, M, Sc
Olivia Peltz – A
Aiden Peters – A
Ashley Peters – AL*, M, SS
Abigail Peterson – AL
Nga Phan – F
Lauren Pomerleau – AL
Elle Potts – AL
Hailey Rankin – AL
Amelia Relopez – AL
Anna Relopez – AL
Jade Resner – A
Gracelyn Riedel – AL*
Taylor Ripplinger – AL, PE, SS
Griffin Roberts – AL*, E, W
Jake Roos – A
Indigo Rowland – AL*, E, M, SS, W
Jack Sander – AL
Kevin Sann – AL
Madalyn Sawyer – B
Ethan Scheelk – AL*, E, M, Sc, SS
Olivia Schepers – B, F
Valen Schmidt – F
Jane Schmitz – AL, A
Colton Schmoyer – AL
Matthew Schneider – B
Natalie Seiffert – AL
Gabrielle Shedlov – AL
Erik Snyder – AL
Olivia Sorensen – AL*
William Spalding – AL*, E
Rachel Sustacek – AL
Kyle Swenson – AL, Mu, SS
Maria Sylvester – AL*, M, Sc, SS, W
Tiffany Talley – AL*, Mu
Lillian Tennyson – AL*, E
Jilliann Testa – AL, B
Emma Thorp – AL*
Huashi Vajhmoob – Mu
Annika VanHeel – AL
Abbie Vaughan – AL*
Cody Vetsch – AL
Julia Walters – W
Theodore Weigle – AL, Mu, Sc
Elise Weinzierl – AL
Madalyn Wenner – F
Jillian Williams – A
Carter Wise – T
Isabella Youngberg – AL*, M
Kaytlin Zack – AL