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In Photos: February Happenings

Student News

Taking Center Stage

Elementary schools across the district are taking the stage and perfecting their spring productions. Willow Lane Elementary students got into character last week to practice their performance of “The Grunch.” Watch snippets from a rehearsal in this video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds". Show dates are 1 p.m. on February 28 and 4 p.m. on March 1 at the Ashland Productions (2100 White Bear Ave Maplewood, MN 55109). Middle and high school students are also preparing their spring productions. Find ticket information and more in our News Story.  

Our second Coffee with Dr. K event of the school year will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 25. We’re switching up our usual location and will meet from noon-1 p.m. at White Bear Lake Area High School. Find additional information and an opportunity to pre-register in a News Post on our website!

Middle school and high school band, choir and orchestra students took center stage recently during various concerts as they showcased their talents and abilities after receiving high accolades from different organizations.

• High school orchestra, band and choir students participated in the annual Suburban East Conference Music Festival at Mounds View High School Feb. 1-2. Our students spent the day working with several prominent music clinicians, polishing and perfecting their own musical skills, and listening to performances by their peers.
• Mariner Middle School eighth grader Jonny Miller was selected as the top middle school jazz baritone saxophonist in the state and performed with the All-State Jazz Band on Feb. 13 at Southwest High School.
• The White Bear Lake Area High School Choir and Wind Ensemble received statewide recognition and presented a special honor concert on Feb. 13 in the WBLAHS Performing Arts Center. A special highlight of the evening was the premiere of “The Still Moments,” a piece composed by WBLAHS senior Ethan Anderson and conducted by student Luisa Maruyama.
• Mariner Middle School eighth grader Danny Marchev was selected as one of the top middle school cellists in the state and performed with the All-State Orchestra on Feb. 14 at Minnetonka High School Arts Center.
• Mariner Middle School eighth graders Abi Rotter and Cat Olson were selected as two of the top eighth grade vocalists in the state and will be a part of this year’s ACDA MN Honor Choir on April 11.

Impressive Acheivements

The WBLAHS Varsity Cheer team competed at the National High School Cheerleading Championship Feb. 6-8. They placed third out of 48 teams for their Game Day Routine consisting of a band dance, crowd leading section and the traditional school song. There were 3 rounds of competition with cuts leading to a near perfect finals performance where the team clinched the bronze medal. The team also competed their traditional routine and placed 14th!

Additionally, on Jan. 31 the Bears competed at the Minnesota Cheerleading Coaches Association (MCCA) State Competition. The Varsity Cheer Team placed second in Game Day and third in Traditional, the Middle School Team placed second in both Game Day and Traditional and Elementary Team placed second in their traditional performance.

Two members of the WBLAHS Boys' Alpine Ski Team and one member of the Girls' Alpine Ski Team participated in the State Tournament at Giants Ridge on Feb. 10 after a great showing during the Section 7 championships. On the Boys' Team, Angus Levins finished fourth overall while Cooper Feirn finishing seventh. For the Girls' team, senior Josie Guidinger finished 15th. All three student-athletes faced a very competitive field of races to advance to State. 

The WBLAHS Boys' and Girls' Nordic Ski Teams competed at the Section 4A tournament at Battle Creek Regional Park on Feb. 5. On the girls' team, sophomore Brigid McVeigh finished in the highest position at 13th place in classical pursuit. She was also named All-Conference. Lydia Moore and Irene Bakke were named All-Conference Honorable Mention. 

White Bear Lake Area High School senior and member of the varsity Boys' Basketball Team, Collin Piper, scored his 1,000th career point during a recent game against Andover. The team won in overtime 74-73. Collin had 28 of those points. The White Bear Press interviewed Collin who said this was, “definitely one of my goals for the season.”

WBLAHS Girls' Hockey Team forward Madelyn Lee was named one of 10 semifinalists for the Ms. Hockey Award, presented by Let’s Play Hockey and sponsored by the Minnesota Wild, The Minnesota Girls Hockey Coaches Association (MGCHA) and Tradition Companies. Madelyn is a captain for the Bears and has committed to play hockey for St. Cloud State University this fall where she plans to attain a degree in nursing.

On February 4, the WBLAHS Activities Department celebrated National Girls & Women In Sports Day! It was a great opportunity to recognize the achievements of our female student-athletes and coaches and the committment to continuing efforts to empower girls and women in sports. To help further elevate NGWSD, the Activities Department asked coaches and student-athletes to share their responses to any of following questions:

1. How has participating in sports impacted your life?
2. What are the benefits of girls participating in sports?
3. Why do you play/coach?
4. Why should we celebrate this day?
5. How can people support girls sports/achievements at WBLAHS?

You can read the responses from each participant in our News Story. 

The WBLAHS Gymnastics Team won the Section 4AA championship and will compete at the state meet on Friday, with team leader Grace Mueller competing in all-around on Saturday. Coach Sarah Crist was voted section Coach of the Year, and the Bears were also section academic champions with a GPA of 3.956! Read a White Bear Press article about the accomplishment!

Responsibility and Service

Students at Lincoln Elementary enjoyed a week of fun activities during their school-wide initiative of celebrating kindness and love. To wrap up the program, students worked together in their sorted House groups on a service project. They made sun catchers for kids at Children’s Hospital. Watch their activity come to life in this video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds".

A group of students at Central Middle School are working hard to spread kindness, joy and love throughout their building and community. They partnered with a local long-term care facility on a service project making cards, love bugs and crayons for 66 residents! They students also collaborated together to decorate a door with the same theme as part of a Black History month project.

Willow Lane Elementary students have a new addition to their playground - a Buddy Bench! Several fifth grade leaders who formed the Friendship Team, created a mission of making sure no one is alone at recess. This idea sparked a partnership between Willow Lane and White Bear Lake Subaru who generously donated the Buddy Bench. With help from members of the Friendship Team, the bench was installed on Feb. 10 and is already being used to help form new relationships on the playground and beyond!

Elementary students across the district are learning the importance of water safety, through their lessons in partnership with the White Bear Area YMCA. Second graders at Vadnais Heights Elementary were highlighted in a recent video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds" during their lessons. Students are gaining confidence in the pool by practicing swimming different strokes, kicking and floating in the water.

Central Middle School students enjoyed grade-level assemblies that were focused on digital citizenship. Students learned how to be safe, responsible and respectful in online interactions. Through a multiple choice game, students worked through various questions to test their knowledge about online presence and best practices. See their lesson in action in this video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds". Meanwhile, students took on a school-wide project of writing down ways they love Central Middle School and adding their comments to a heart mural. Many students mentioned staff members and their friends who have made a difference in their lives along with specific classes, the lunch menu and exciting activities they can take part in. 

Exciting Lessons

High school automotive students are focusing on their brake service unit. In groups, they are rotating through stations testing their skills and working through different projects including changing front and rear brakes, working on a bench lathe and more. Watch the students collaborate together in this video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds".

As part of their clothing unit, students in the district's preschool program at Tamarack Nature Center were visited by Inga the sheep! Students are learning where different types of fabric come from through various activities and reading books. They also learned about the different "clothes" animals wear, which in Inga’s case is wool! Students were able to ask questions about Inga and were given the opportunity to pet her.

At Willow Lane Elementary, kindergartners wrapped up their lessons about kings, queens and the medieval era with a royal tea party! Students dressed in fancy clothes and enjoyed a lively gathering together. They listened to cheerful music, ate yummy snacks and enjoyed a royal ball!

Alumni Accolades

District graduate Joseph Schertz was recently highlighted in the White Bear Press for his work as teacher and founder of The School of Music & Mayhem. His love of music, which also includes songwriting and recording, began long ago when he was a student at the district's Golfview Elementary and continued through his time at Sunrise Jr. High, Mariner High and White Bear High School. 

The Duluth News Tribune recently published an article about First Defense K9 LLC, a company owned by WBLAHS graduate Austin Schaefer, for the security work they provide. The article highlights the newest member of the program, a border collie named Riot, who will be trained as either a firearms and narcotics detection dog.

 Activities Updates

The Girls' Basketball Team defeated Park High School during a recent game. Read about the team's achievement in a White Bear Press article. Boys' Basketball Team member Collin Piper scored his 1,000th career point during a recent game against Andover, where the team won in overtime 74-73. Read additional details about the game and his achievement in a White Bear Press article. Two members of the Boys' Alpine Ski Team and one member of the Girls' Alpine Ski Team competed in the State Tournament at Giant's Ridge after qualifying during the Section 7 competition.  Girls' Hockey Team forward Madelyn Lee was one of 10 semifinalists for the Ms. Hockey Award. The Girls' Gymnastics Team won a conference meet over Roseville. The White Bear Press  highlighted individual successes. 

Hudl Ticketing is the exclusive provider of online tickets for all of our White Bear Lake Area High School home regular season athletic ticketing needs. Find games and purchase tickets 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. 

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