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In Photos: February Happenings

Student News

District Kudos

Three members of the WBLAHS Gymnastics Team participated in the State tournament this past weekend. Addy Mueller placed eighth on uneven bars (pictured far left). She also competed on Vault and Beam. Josie Mlejnek competed on Beam and Amelia Ahrens competed in the All Around. All three are seniors and team captains. The student-athletes qualified during the Section 4AA where the team finished in second place and Head Coach Kelly Rivers was named Section 4AA Coach of the Year. Read more highlights from the Sections meet here. 

WBLAHS junior Jinet Demanou is heading to the Girls' State Wrestling tournament after placing second at Sections, becoming the first WBLAHS Girls' Wrestling Team member to qualify! She's heading into the State meet with a 25-2 record. During the Section meet, she lost in the semifinals, then won a third-place match and a true-second match. The State meet is taking place on March 1 at the Xcel Energy Center. Find more highlights from the meet in this White Bear Press article. 

KARE 11 recently aired a follow-up story about White Bear Lake Area High School wrestler Gabe Kessel, who is battling a rare brain tumor, and his decision to take a step back from the sport.  Gabe was given a ceremonial retirement ceremony during the section wrestling tournament at Stillwater Area High School. Watch the full story here. 

The WBLAHS Varsity Cheerleaders competed at the National High School Cheerleading Championship in Orlando, Florida, from February 7-10. The team placed second in the Small Non-Tumbling Division I Game Day division competing against 33 teams from across the country and bringing silver medals home to White Bear. 

Exciting Lessons

Students at Birch Lake Elementary listened to Minnesota author Keean Jones read his book “Saturday Morning at the Shop”. He shared with students why he wrote his story and they were able to ask him questions about being an author. His visit is part of Birch Lake’s “I Love to Read Month” activities and was highlighted in this video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds".

Oneka Elementary students got into character to practice their performance of “Press Start” for their classmates, before performing for their families and the community. The play follows famous video game characters who run out of lives and decide to put on a musical fundraiser that will help them raise gold rings so they can continue playing their games. A sneak peek of their production was captured in this video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds".

Creative Minds

Fifth graders at Lincoln Elementary took a field trip to White Bear Lake Area High School to create clay bowls with art teacher Ms. Latuff. Their lesson was highlighted in a recent video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds". They watched demonstrations of specific techniques when working with the clay including rolling, scoring and working with slip, then were given the opportunity to practice the skills themselves. Students also played around with different designs and textures when creating their bowls. Students will eventually return to WBLAHS to glaze their clay projects and learn how the kiln works. 

At the district’s Transition Education Center, a specialized learning center that is home to four programs tailored to learners with unique needs, students gathered for their morning club activities. In the “Capture the Moment” group, students discussed different artists, their painting techniques and worked together to recreate some of their famous works! Another group, the “Creating Keepsakes” club, made friendship cards that they mailed to organizations across the country for people in need. See these exciting projects come to life in this video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds".

In their Visual Media Art and Design class at Mariner Middle School, eighth graders are learning about animation. They started by making flip books and gifs before moving on to stop motion short films. Students worked in groups to create the backgrounds and props for their films. Get a closer look at the process in a recent video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds".

Early Childhood staff at Normandy Park gathered for a day of team building and professional development earlier this month. As part of their group activities, staff members posed together, creating a heart shape! Meanwhile, Extended Day students at Matoska worked on a heart project as well! They made picture frames and decorated the edges with heart shaped stickers, candy and other craft items.

Youth Enrichment Opportunities

Are you a budding inventor or a science enthusiast? Come and join our Engineering for Kids program filled with fun engineering adventures and extraordinary discoveries. We guarantee a great time exploring fascinating projects that will challenge your creativity and enhance your problem-solving skills, all while igniting your passion for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

In each session, we'll work on a diverse range of activities and challenges from different STEM disciplines, such as Aeronautics, Space, Marine, Eco, and more. These engaging projects are designed to encourage critical thinking and teamwork, making it a fun learning experience for young STEAMers and inventors. Plus, you won't have to worry about repeated projects – every session offers something new and exciting! Find registration information here. 

 Activities Updates

Three members of the WBLAHS Gymnastics Team participated in the State Meet after their team finished second in the Seciton 4AA meet. Read more highlights here. WBLAHS junior Jinet Demanou is heading to the Girls' State Wrestling tournament after placing second at Sections, becoming the first WBLAHS Girls' Wrestling Team member to qualify! Learn more here. The Boys' Wrestling Team won their open Section match against Irondale/Spring Lake Park. Find highlights here. The WBLAHS Varsity Cheerleaders placed second at the National High School Cheerleading Championship in Orlando, Florida. The Girls Basketball Team defeated Park in a recent match up. Read more about the game here. 

Senior community members (age 65+) who live in the District are invited to participate in the Senior Activities Pass program and enjoy complimentary admission to most school activities. Find out how to receive your free pass here.

Please contact the Communications Department (651-407-7695) to submit Student News for inclusion in future publications. 

The Week in 62.4 Seconds

Enjoy The Week in 62.4 Seconds videos highlighting weekly district activities throughout the school year.

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