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In Photos: Exciting Lessons

Student News

Talented Bears

Five White Bear Lake Area High School student-athletes who have committed to further their educational and athletic careers at an NCAA Division I or II institution were celebrated by family, friends, coaches and staff during a ceremony in the Union. For more than 60 years, NCAA Division I and Division II schools participated in the NLI (National Letter of Intent) program. This group of students is among the first to now sign a written offer of athletics aid instead of the traditional NLI. The Athletic Grant-in-Aid is a binding agreement between a prospective student-athlete and a college. By signing, the student-athlete commits to attending the college for one year, and in return, the school agrees to provide athletic financial aid for one academic year.

• Maddie Thompson - Soccer at Concordia University - St. Paul where she plans to study Business.
• Maddy Vang - Golf at Concordia University - St. Paul where she plans to go into nursing.
• Colin Piper - Basketball at Florida Institute of Technology where he plans to attain a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
• Lily Martin - Softball at University of Minnesota - Duluth where she plans to attain a degree in Exercise Science in the Pre-Occupational Therapy program.
• Maddie Lee - Hockey at St. Cloud State University where she plans to attain a degree in nursing.

Central Middle School eighth grader Jayden Schmidt completed 100 laps in the PACER fitness test! Hitting the milestone put him the top .01% - .05% of middle school participants. Jayden says he loves endurance sports and led the Middle School’s Cross Country team in both performance and leadership. He stays motivated to train at his best through inspiration by the legacy of White Bear's standout endurance athletes like Eric Gebeke and playing pickleball with his family. 

White Bear Lake Area High School student Laila Elazab recently won first place in the American Protégé International Vocal Competition and will perform at New York’s famed Carnegie Hall in December. Read more about her achievement in this White Bear Press article. Another WBLAHS student is being recognized for her writing skills. Ayaan Hamza won second place for the Walter Nathan Poetry Initiative at the University of Minnesota. The initiative provides opportunities for CIS literature students to meet an author after reading their book. This year, the class read "They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us" by Hanif Abdurraqib. Not only did Ayaan meet the author, but she read her winning poem with him. 

The White Bear Press recently covered a story of collaboration and creativity that helps sixth grader Layla Kleidon play violin in the Mariner Middle School orchestra using a 3-D printed prosthetic device created by Mariner staff members. Layla told the Press, “I was really excited to see it and try it out. I thought it was really cool that they could do that, especially in school! The device helps me be able to hold the bow and actually play, and it’s really nice since I don’t have to do too much to control it.”

Creative Lessons

Chemistry students at White Bear Lake Area High School rotated through different lab stations. They practiced lab safety protocols and writing down observations while conducting various chemical reaction experiments using elements on the periodic table. Watch their lesson come to life in this video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds".

Fifth graders at Otter Lake Elementary wrapped up their poetry unit by showcasing their work in a gallery. Students studied different poets, practiced writing their own written works and selected their favorite poem to display. The classes took turns walking around the gallery and leaving notes with positive feedback by different poems. The activity was featured in a recent video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds".

The Counseling Department at Central Middle School worked with seventh graders for classroom lessons. Throughout the year, counselors present lessons to students in all grades, covering a variety of topics including: creating resumes, navigating conflicts, habits for school success, responsible decision-making, researching potential careers and more. See their lesson come to life in this video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds".

Fourth graders at Willow Lane Elementary presented their Minnow Tank projects. The activity, inspired by the show Shark Tank, teaches students the value of service, teamwork and persuasive speaking. In groups, they presented a charity of choice to a panel of judges, hoping to be selected as the winner. Their hard work and dedication was captured in a recent video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds". Fourth grader Estrella and her teacher Ms. Simonette collaborated to design the Minnow Tank shirts. 

 Fifth graders at North Star constructed replicas of the Mayan ruins. Students wrapped up their CKLA unit about ancient civilizations, studying the Mayan, Inca and Aztec cultures. During their lessons, students learned about their day to day activities, habitats, agriculture and more! 

Outdoor Fun!

It’s the annual battle of the winter sports! Members of the Alpine and Nordic ski teams participated in a soccer game. The friendly competition between the two sports helps student-athletes prepare for their seasons, build strong bonds among teammates and have some fun! See snippets of their exciting game in a recent video issue of the district's The Week in 62.4 Seconds.

Our staff members are terrific at capturing the moment and sharing their pics with our Communications Office. We received this photo of the northern lights shining over Oneka Elementary. While another photo shared with us showed a fun moment when a group of deer walked through the playground at Lincoln Elementary. 

Community Collaborations

Willow Lane Elementary Principal Jen Sexauer along with three staff members and a student received a special surprise from the Winter Carnival Royal Family. During their visit to the school, they were selected to be Knighted! The Royal Family spoke of their daily kindness, work ethic and positive attitudes toward their friends and colleagues. Watch snippets from the exciting event in this video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds".  

Schools and programs throughout the district honored Veteran’s Day with a variety of activities. Some where highlighted in this video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds". At Vadnais Heights Elementary, students gathered with family and friends to discuss the meaning of Veterans Day.  At the Senior Center, attendees gathered for conversations, good company and a performance by the Ukulele Bears to honor the day. Speaking of the Ukulele Bears, the White Bear Press recently highlighted musicians which originated during a conversation in a woodcarving class in 2017. The thriving group hosts jam sessions from 10-11:30 a.m. every Monday.

At Central Middle Schooler, students enjoyed a Veterans Day Assembly with special guest Major Barry Hendriksen, who spoke about his experience serving in the military. Also during the assembly, the three winners of the VFW Patriot Pen Contest were named. Hannah Zollinger, Brody Dickenson, and Camile Le Boeuf will move to the district level of the competition. The theme this year was "How are you showing Patriotism and Support for our Country"? The two winners of the Lions Club Peace Poster Contest were also announced. Natalie Vang (pictured center) was named the winner and is moving on to the next round of the competition and Sofi Foder (pictured far right) received second place.

Bear Boards and More is now taking orders! The student-operated business based at the Transition Education Center, specializes in customized cutting boards and tumblers. Through this initiative, students learn the essentials of running a school-based business including topics like supply and demand, profit and loss statements, design and production, customer service, and more. Check out the links below to view some examples of finished products and to place an order.

• Examples of Cutting Boards
• Examples of Tumblers
• Cutting Board Order Form
• Tumbler Order Form

 Activities Updates

The Girls Hockey Team edged out Roseville/Mahtomedi 3-2. Find game highlights here. Five WBLAHS student-athletes committed to furthering their education and athletic careers at their college or university of choice. Read more about their signing day here. 

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. 

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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