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Learn more about the Activities and Athletic programs offered by Royalton Public Schools. ATHLETICS & ACTIVITIES Central MN Conference Minnesota Scores MSHSL Eligibility Physical Forms MN State High School League RHS Hall of Fame Season Passes Notify Me Sign Up Coach & Advising Openings General Admission for High School Athletic Events $6 adult admission $4 student admission (refers to those in K-12th grade) Students in grades 6-12 will automatically to get in free to regular season home events with their ID cards. High School Athletic Season Passes Substantial savings can be made as a result of purchasing a special ticket package for the school year. With the purchase of a Season Pass, you get into all regular season athletic events during the school year. These passes can be purchased at the admissions gate or in the High School Office. Adult Season Pass - $40.00 Senior Citizen (65+) Pass - No Charge Student (Elementary) Season Pass - $5.00 *The MSHSL and Region 5A will set the admission price for subsection and section games in which RHS is hosting the event. Central MN Conference Calendar Livestream Buy Royalton Apparel & Accessories Activities Director Kaitlyn Arnzen kaitlyn.arnzen@isd485.org 320-584-4200

< Middle/High School Academics District Calendar Guidance Office Media Center New Enrollment < Back October 2017 Artist of the Month Emily Ferguson Emily Ferguson, the daughter of Hannah Heller was recently named Royalton High School's October Artist of the month. Ferguson, a senior, has enjoyed art classes at Royalton Middle/High School since the seventh grade. "Making a thought or idea transform itself onto a piece of paper is something that I love to do. I'm grateful that Mr. Halverson gives us the freedom to explore what we want to create. His Drawing class is the best part of my day. I'm working on a portfolio for AP art this year, and I will hopefully earn college credit when it's completed. Three of these pieces are on display in this photo. The first acrylic painting is the small one that shows my fear of spiders. This is best told by the dark colors surrounding the spiders that come dropping down like they do. The middle painting is one of my favorites and shows a figure draped in vines. The vines could be easily cut up and forgotten, yet there are metal chains that can not be so easily cut. So the chains are morphed and transformed into wings that help send the figure into flight. The large painting shows cold blue values that create a somber mood contrasted with a complement of orange. The seated subject shows the limitation one puts on them self and one puts on others who my prevent them from reaching their goal. The ballerina in the spotlight." "Emily is one of the finest student-artists that Royalton High School has ever seen." said RHS Visual Art instructor Carl Halverson. "I sometimes look at the student works painted on the ceiling tiles in my room and try to remember how many were actually created 100% originally from their minds. The answer would be very few. You can learn drawing skills, painting techniques, and teach the elements and principles of design to kids, but as Einstein once said, "Imagination is far more important than knowledge." Emily creates artwork with the ease of a star athlete, as he sprints finishing with a 4.5 second 40 yard sprint. Her final work in her AP portfolio shows a small, seated figure, who sits back in the shadows. Meanwhile, the spotlight shines on the ballerina, and as usual, the ballerina demands that you admire her beauty and grace as she performs her "Dance." I asked Emily about the "star of the show, ballerina" who stands in the spotlights of her painting. She replied. "I just admire the talents of these dancers, and see such beauty and grace in their art form, their dance."

< Middle/High School Academics District Calendar Guidance Office Media Center New Enrollment < Back March 2018 Artist of the Month Mercedes Vosen Mercedes Vosen, daughter of Chris Vosen and Melanie Capetz, has been named Royalton High School's March Artist of the Month. "I think I've taken just about every art class that I could have over the years," said Vosen. "But I never thought that I would have been named an artist of the month at our school. There are so many talented art students in our school." "I remember when I had my first art class in 7th grade. As soon as I entered the room, I knew that this was the place for me." she added. "Since then, I have taken photography, graphic design, sculpture, drawing, painting and a freelance art class that I am taking right now. It was in this class that I think that I created my best piece so far. This was a project that I made for my dad who has always pushed me to never give up. He says, "It's just mind over matter," which kind of is his way of saying that you can do anything that you want to if you just believe that you can. It also helps a lot to have a teacher like Halverson telling you how amazing the drawing was turning out, by pointing out the best parts of my drawing skills. Our family pet turned out the way it did because I was doing the drawing for my dad, and it was finished because a teacher believed that I was about to finish my best project ever." "If I had to choose an artist who works to their full potential out of this senior class, which is full of talented artists, it would be 'Cedes," stated RHS Visual Art Instructor Carl Halverson. "Every young person who enters my room has different talents and abilities. My job is to find out what that talent might be and then convince the student that they just need to believe that it's always been there, it's always been inside of them. I've been asked by many, how a school of our size could have so many talented artists, year after year. I can only answer that there are probably many students in schools all over the country who never have had anyone encourage them enough to bring what they've got inside, to it's full potential. 'Cedes Vosen is a perfect example of a student who has worked hard to become a success in the visual arts. Because she has done this, she will find it easier to believe that she can successfully transition into life's next chapter. Then, life just becomes a game of tag; you encourage those around you by believing in them. You help lift others up to find their strengths. Congratulations 'Cedes! You're 'It!"

< Middle/High School Academics District Calendar Guidance Office Media Center New Enrollment < Back September 2018 Artist of the Month Brooke Richards Brooke Richards, daughter of Angie and Paul Richards, was recently named September Artist of the Month at Royalton High School. Richards attended Sacred Heart and St. Katharine Drexel for elementary school and came to Royalton in 7th grade. "When I came to tour the school back in 6th grade, the first thing that stood out to me was Mr. Halverson’s Art room" said Richards. ""I walked into the classroom and was in awe of all the amazing tile paintings on the ceiling. I knew then that this was the right school for me and that I wanted to take classes with this teacher who allowed his students to express their creativity in such unconventional ways. I started yearbook not knowing what to expect and quickly found that I loved every aspect of it. From ad selling, to taking pictures, to laying out pages, then putting it together and handing them out at the end of the year, it was all enjoyable. We have a fantastic mentor and teacher in Mr. Halverson, who guides us, while at the same time, gives us enough freedom to make our projects our own. I’ve met some great people along the way which I probably wouldn’t have otherwise, and there is not a day that goes by that I don’t enjoy going to class." Josten's yearbook representative, Paul Sorenson, had these words to say about Richards and the yearbook program at Royalton High School. "My sincere congratulations on some new milestones and creative achievements. The yearbook business, and yes it's a business, has many facets that make it great. Brooke Richards, and your staff need to be commended for not only achieving their goals for the book, but knocking them out of the park. Old Saying, "It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." "Royalton, not the biggest town on the map, but the quality and program you put together is at the top with the biggest and the brightest. Your book needs to be sent in for consideration against some of Josten's best books nationally!" "Brooke has broken every record that exists in the history of yearbook advising that I've seen for the more than 30 years."" stated RHS Yearbook Advisor and Visual Arts Instructor Carl Halverson. "And I've had the pleasure to work with hundreds of exceptional and gifted students. In yearbook, our first goal is to raise enough money in ad sales to afford all of the bells and whistles that this project may afford. Brooke shattered the all-time Ad Sales record, which not only gives us a yearbook that visually competes with the best, but also keeps the total cost of our yearbook down for our entire student body. She broke the total number of completed pages record last year by designing 34 pages, and will break her own record again this year as she designs the cover, ad pages, endsheets, senior section and sports templates. As the lone Senior Editor, she is in charge of funding this business project, designing graphically, everything from the theme to the cover, and editing the 100 pages inside the book. This is not a make-believe project for a competition. This is the ""Real Life"" model that carries with it, the responsibilities of real world issues. With her three year Royal Yearbook experience, which includes; sales and marketing, project design, business management, graphic illustration, and quality team leadership abilities, Brooke has created the kind of portfolio to compete at the next level at any post-secondary institution that she may apply to. Thank you Brooke for stepping up to the plate all three seasons of the year, and using your extraordinary gifts to create Royalton High School's most historically significant, and memorable project of the year, 2019.

< Hall of Fame Matt Palmer Class of 1984 Inducted May 2010 Matt Palmer graduated from RHS in 1984. Palmer was a two-time state wrestling champion for Royalton and was a leader on three conference championship teams in the early 1980’s. He was named the team’s MVP two times during his high school career. Palmer finished his high school career with 121 wins and still holds three school wrestling records. Palmer attended North Dakota State University where he starred in wrestling as a two-time Division II All-American and was the National Runner-up in his weight class during his junior year. NDSU lost only three duals while Palmer was a member of the team. Matt graduated with a teaching degree from NDSU and has continued to share his love of wrestling as the head wrestling coach at Monticello High School for the past 16 years.

< Middle/High School Academics District Calendar Guidance Office Media Center New Enrollment < Back April 2019 Artist of the Month Gavin Sowada Gavin Sowada was recently named Royalton High School's April Artist of the Month. He is the son of Kimberly Behrens and Craig Sowada. From a very early age, Sowada had interests ranging from "Old Ford Trucks" to the outdoors. "Drawing has been something that I have always done since around kindergarten," stated Sowada. "I would always attempt drawing old ford trucks or deer and fish. This year, I started to actually draw pictures that would hold more value to me because I took more time to draw them. I figured there would be no better truck to start on than my dream truck, a 97’, 7.3 Powerstroke. The class periods that I have worked on this drawing, not a single minute of it went by slowly. It always seemed that right when I started, it was already time to pick up and go to another class." "This photo of Gavin kind of shows you just a piece of what he's all about," stated RHS Art Instructor Carl Halverson. " From the logo on the shirt that he and a friend designed, to the drawing of the truck that he holds in his hands, his interests are on full display. What the shirt and the drawing doesn't show is another reason that he has earned the Artist of the Month honor, and why he has made such a favorable impression on many of us at RHS. He's the kind of student who seems to be able to make a classroom better by just being around as an example. If he notices that someone needs help with something, he doesn't need someone to persuade him to help out, he just steps up to the plate. And in some cases, he knows when to step back and not become a part of a possible negative situation. Many students who have the ability to draw or paint feel like that they are so gifted, that no one can teach them anything. "It's too repetitive, to practice shading or mixing color," one such student said to me a few years back. This student was in basketball, so I replied back, "Ya, just like in basketball practice right? They make you shoot hundreds of free throws over and over, and run full court drills, day after day. It's just too repetitive, so why even go out for the sport?" My point was that you do basics in any endeavor in life, over and over, to reach your full potential. Gavin never complains, he just tries his absolute best and his skills have progressed beyond these of people who just work on their own. He's also 1/2 of the 2020 senior Royal yearbook editor tandem that will lead our staff into success. I could not have picked better candidates from that class based on the work they have done and the deadlines that they have met. Gavin will do his best to include EVERY member of his senior class in next year's book, not just his chosen group of friends. That's a rare quality to possess at any age." Sowada added; "This drawing would have been nearly impossible without Mr. Halverson teaching our class drawing techniques since sixth grade, from perspective to shading and color theory. He doesn't just teach it from a book, he shows it to us in his work. I would be surprised if there was a better art teacher ever to teach these skills that also taught us important life lessons along the way."

Our mission is to serve healthy meals to our students! Nutrition services Payments Meal payments by cash or check can be made in the front office of any school. Checks Make payable to Royalton Public Schools . Cash Cash should be in an envelope with the student's full name and deposited before school starts. Credit Card Credit card payments (Visa or MasterCard) can be made through Skyward Family Access . 25-26 Meal prices Elementary School Breakfast- FREE Lunch- FREE High School Breakfast- FREE Lunch- FREE Middle School Breakfast- FREE Lunch- FREE Adult Breakfast- $2.65 Lunch- $5.05 ALL STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE ONE FREE BREAKFAST AND ONE FREE LUNCH EACH DAY. ADDITIONAL STUDENT ENTREES WILL BE $2.00. Application for Educational Benefits EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER Preschool & Kindergarten Breakfast Menu Lunch Menu ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Grades 1-5 Breakfast Menu Lunch Menu MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL Grades 6-12 Breakfast Menu Lunch Menu Nutrition Information NUTRITION REQUIREMENTS Royalton Food Service participates in the Nation School Lunch Program (NSLP). Each meal consists of: 1-2 ounces of meat/meat alternate 2+ servings of fruits & vegetables 1 serving of grain/bread 8 ounces of milk Serving sizes are those recommended in the USDA Food Guide Pyramid and the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act. OFFER vs. SERVE The “offer vs. serve” Federal regulation requires students be offered (rather than served) the food items comprising the full lunch meal. Students choose three, four, or five food items based on their preferences instead of having to take some of each food. Federal regulations require meals be priced as a complete unit and students must pay the full price even it they did not choose the complete meal. Students are encouraged to take all of the food items offered because it provides a balanced meal for the best price. FRUIT & VEGETABLES Research has shown the importance of fruit and vegetables in the diet. We continue to offer a wide variety of fruit and vegetables. Fresh produce is purchased from a local vegetable farm when available. MILK The school lunch program is required to offer milk as one of the components of the lunch. A choice of 1% and chocolate is offered. LACTOSE REDUCED MILK Lactose reduced milk will be provided to students at no extra charge upon the written request of a doctor or parent/guardian. FOOD ALLERGIES AND DIETARY RESTRICTIONS Royalton Public Schools Nutrition Services will provide special dietary requests for students with food allergies and/or other dietary restrictions. In accordance with federal USDA regulations, the Special Diet Statement must be completed and signed by the parent/guardian as well as the student's physician, physician assistant, registered dietician, or advanced practice registered nurse, such as certified nurse practitioner. This must be completed before any accommodations are able to be made. Forms should be completed and returned to the school nurse, and the school nurse will forward to the Food Service Manager. Special Diet Statement Form Nutrition resources & links Click on an icon to visit the site and get more information. WellSAT District Scorecard Trienniel Assessment Civil Rights Statement The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has developed a civil rights statement for use in its various programs. The purpose of the civil rights statement is to inform applicants, participants and potentially eligible persons of the policy of nondiscrimination and the procedure for filing a civil rights complaint to the USDA. Sponsors are required to include the nondiscrimination statement on publications, websites, posters and informational materials mentioning USDA programs. The standard/full civil rights statement must be used wherever possible. If the material is too small to permit the full statement to be included, the condensed civil rights statement may be used. The material must, at a minimum, include the civil rights statement in print size no smaller than the text used throughout the document. Standard/Full Civil Rights Statement In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf , from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by: Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 Fax: (202) 690-7442; or Email: program.intake@usda.gov This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

< Middle/High School Academics District Calendar Guidance Office Media Center New Enrollment < Back December 2017 Artist of the Month Adam Beam Adam Beam is the son of Rick Beam and Amy Klosowski of Royalton. He was chosen as Royalton High School's December Artist of the Month. Beam, a junior, didn't consider himself to be artistic enough to earn this honor. He found out that art classes at Royalton High School welcome students who wish to explore their talents, and that it's not just for those who are gifted in the "drawing or painting" areas. "I took the class with the idea of just trying to get my Fine Arts credits to graduate from high school," said Beam. "Mr. Halverson lets students work with whatever materials that they feel like working with in the Art Tech class that I am in. Since I like working with wood, when he mentioned that we should choose a subject that has some kind of meaning to us, I chose to design a sign for my grandparents. Gene and Cindy Gottwalt raise Whitetail and Red deer which I can see from the front window of my house. Sometimes, I help my grandpa do chores which includes feeding the deer. The sign took a lot of time in class and even more out of class. All the letters and deer images had to be cut out of wood, nailed, glued and painted. My class has a lot of very talented artists and I am honored that I earned Artist of the Month. Students work hard and like art classes because Halverson makes them feel like what they are doing is important." "Adam actually completed this project in the Fall, but I had seniors who had already earned the award the first few months, so he waited patiently," stated Royalton High School's art instructor Carl Halverson. "I really enjoy watching students find a way to connect their work to something that is personal. I've seen so many students forget that they are even in an art class once they are inspired by a thought, memory or idea that comes from the heart. After taking quite a few woodworking classes in high school myself, I can appreciate the hours of hard work, patience and concentration that go in to completing a Design project like this one. I think that one of my favorite parts of teaching is helping a student like Adam, catch a spark with an idea, and then, using his God given strengths and abilities, design his project in his own way. Few students create and produce a piece of work in high school, that may well outlive themselves. I believe that Adam, along with many of his classmates in our RHS art classes, will continue to do just that. Could you say that it's just a piece of a Legacy? Yup, I knew that you could."

< Guidance Office United states military opportunities Service Academy Programs Each of the Academies open their application process in the spring of applicants' junior year. For a student to gain acceptance to a Service Academy, they must apply and meet the requirements of that specific school, in addition to earning a nomination from their congressman. Students are encouraged to apply as early as they can, so they have more time to improve their qualifications and fully complete the process. Once a student has applied at a Service Academy, they may apply to seek a nomination from their congressman. Most begin accepting requests for nomination in April of applicants' junior year. For more information stop in the CRC. Resources United States Army Army ROTC United States Navy Navy ROTC United States Air Force United States Marines United States Military Academy - West Point United States Air Force Academy - Colorado Springs United States Naval Academy - Annapolis United States Coast Guard Academy United States Merchant Marine Academy

< Middle/High School Academics District Calendar Guidance Office Media Center New Enrollment < Back April 2018 Artist of the Month Courtney Lemmerman Courtney Lemmerman, daughter of Leah Walz and Joel Lemmerman, was recently named Royalton High School's April Artist of the Month. "Since I could hold a pencil, my mother told me that I was very gifted. I have taken every art class that I could have, but really enjoyed my Independent Art class this year the most." said Lemmerman. About two years ago, Lemmerman was diagnosed with Lyme disease which pulled her from not only main stream classes, but also her extra curricular hobbies as well. "During this time, I couldn't use my hands very well and was very tired all of the time," stated Lemmerman. "I missed my art classes the most. I remember back in seventh grade, walking into the Art room for the very first time. Mr. Halverson helped to arrange my schedule so that I could take a high school art elective after seeing my work. Since that day, he has been pushing me to become a better artist and kind of took me under his wing. He became almost like of a father figure in the way that he would teach me not just art techniques, but help me to focus on the things that I could control in my life. Every day I went into that class, my attitude got better and better. His class made me excited to get up in the morning because I knew that I had a chance to create something that was amazing. He made me focus on the details of portraits, whether they might be imperfections or not. I took this to heart, because I saw myself as imperfect. He explained that imperfections are sometimes what make a person still perfect, still beautiful, just the way that they are if you look for the good in people. The Quiet Riot ceiling tile that I have worked on is a good example of this. Some people might not understand or like the image, but they can still appreciate the painting techniques that go in to the work if they are looking for something good." "Courtney is one of the top student artists I've ever seen walk into my room," said Royalton High School's art instructor Carl Halverson. "She has passed through plenty of obstacles, but made it through them and improved as an artist and as a person along the way. When she entered the art room, she found a place where she could take her amazing talent to the next level. Her ceiling tile work is technically, one of the strongest that I have ever seen. Her use of subdued color, which moves gently from the shadows to the highlights of her work, is truly amazing. What is even more amazing to me is that she has found herself through her success in my room. You would expect to find this from our RHS 'Artists of the Month' winners. But, I noticed that nearly half of our 2018 RHS 'Students of the Month' winners also chose the Art department as their "favorite" when it came to teachers and departments in our school. Courtney Lemmerman is just like these students who found themselves through their work in their favorite class. In fact, her eyes see the world a little differently, because she has the ability to take life's imperfections, and paint them "perfectly" in her own beautiful way."

< Middle/High School Academics District Calendar Guidance Office Media Center New Enrollment May 2023 Student of the Month Nola Blais Nola is the daughter of Travis and Nadine. When it comes to family Nola says they have been very important to her, “My family has taught me that hard work can get you anywhere. My Mom and Dad are very hard workers and they influenced me to work hard for what I want. I really enjoy boating in the summertime with my family the most.” At Royalton High School, Nola participated in sports and activities, “Throughout high school I have taken part in Softball, Yes Club, and Knowledge Bowl. I have played Softball for a long period of my life. I enjoy the team, program, and being around my friends and making memories. YES Club is something I joined as a senior to and would definitely recommend to anyone thinking about joining. Being outside and seeing different aspects of nature and energy conservation is something I had no idea could be so intriguing. Last but not least is the Knowledge Bowl. I loved Knowledge Bowl. It was such a fun environment. I made a lot of new friends and a lot of wonderful memories at our meets!” When it comes to her classes Nola says her favorite classes are science classes, “My favorite classes are any science classes with Ms.Gerads. She has taught me a lot considering I have taken Biology, Ecology, Zoology, Forensics and Microbiology. As for a favorite teacher in high school, Nola says she has a couple her favorite, “One of my favorite teachers is definitely Ms. Menden. Not only because she is a great English teacher but also because she is so knowledgeable about life and is truly a wonderful advice giver. She is very influential to me because she has seen me at my worst years of school all the way into my best years because she is also my homeroom advisor. One of my other favorite teachers would have to be Ms. Tordsen because she is so wise beyond art. She makes the school environment so inclusive and welcoming.” Outside of school Nola spends a lot of time with family and friends, “Outside of school I love to spend time with my friends and family. I spend a lot of time with my grandparents every week. I set aside time to spend with them because they are pretty much my best friends, they have taught me so much and I really do not know where I would be without them. I also enjoy traveling. My favorite vacation was probably Tennessee which I recently took with my family. I also enjoy my job as a cashier at Coborns. I have been a cashier for almost 3 years and I really enjoy it.” When asked about her favorite memory and activity of high school, this was Nola’s response, “My favorite high school memory was winning the 2022 Homecoming Olympics. Why this is my favorite memory is because everyone was so excited including me and we were all just living in the moment. it was a great time for the class of 2023. Not to mention the football team won the big game that day against Paynesville. The best activity I was involved in was the Yes Club tubing trip this winter. I had such a blast with all my friends and it was a beautiful sunny day and it just was such a fun time. Believe it or not we got all almost 60 of us down the sledding hill at one time. It took a couple of tries but eventually we got it!” Nola’s plans for her future are these, “Next year I will be attending Central Lakes Brainerd for Dental Assisting. I enjoy working with people and I eventually hope continue my schooling to become a Dental Therapist. My long-term goal is to make enough money to do a lot of traveling with my significant other. I hope to buy a house and continue my education in the dental field.” Nola’s advice to high school freshmen was this “My advice to a freshman would be to never sell yourself short. Every person has different capabilities and not everyone is the same. I would say do not be afraid to be different. All throughout high school people want to blend in and be the same but I would say be weird and be different because you will not regret becoming the own version of yourself that you were meant to be. Make new friends and enjoy every moment because it sure does go by fast!

< Middle/High School Academics District Calendar Guidance Office Media Center New Enrollment < Back April 2020 Artist of the Month Jenna Anderson Royalton High School's April Artist of the Month is Senior, Jenna Anderson. She is the daughter of Jaime and Jesse Anderson. Never did she think that Art would one day not only be a favorite class of hers, but also be the direction that she would be heading as far as her post secondary plans went. It all started her freshman year in a high school art class called Art Techniques. "In 9th grade, everything changed for me," said Anderson. "After I took an intro to art class and was surrounded by a class full of students, I found out that not only did I love to create art, but that painting and drawing just came easy for me. Throughout high school, I tried to take as many art classes as I could, and in 10th grade, I was in an Art Tech class. In this class, we would try to create many different kinds of art, each unit lasting about one to two weeks. Mr. Halverson would take us through "step by step" drawing or painting units so that everybody got to learn the basics. I always seemed to be the one of the first done with each step and my friends would comment that my work was some of the best in the class. After a weekly Design unit, Halverson moved us to the computer graphics unit. This is where everything really changed for me. Unlike others who struggled with the technology unit of the class, when I got into graphic design using photoshop, every project seemed so easy and was so much fun. We did graphic layouts of business cards, designed and created logos, fake advertisements, and multi-layered photography projects. When we finished this unit, Halverson said, "Do you people realize that what you just completed was very similar to a few of the first six weeks of projects at St. Cloud Technical College's Graphic Design program?" That's when it really hit me. I finally knew what I wanted to do after graduation." "Jenna seemed almost bored with the pace of the class when we had to wait for others to catch up to her," said RHS Visual Arts Instructor Carl Halverson. "It wasn't more than a couple of days later, I was asking her to become a staff aide. I think this happens in every area of learning. You've got the top, and you've got the bottom skill set in a class. You've got the math "Wiz" who finishes all of the next day's assignment in the last five minutes of the class, while those who don't "get it" struggle to finish , the first or second problem on the page. Most of the time, no matter what medium that we may explore in the art room, I can usually borrow those top of the class, "gifted students" abilities to help those who are struggling without them feeling "dumb". That quality is what separates the really good kids in my opinion. Can they help others through a lesson, and make a new friend at the same time?" "My senior year, Mr. Halverson kind of pushed me into being part of the yearbook staff," added Anderson. "This was a very stressful time for me. I was working on about six or seven different projects at the same time with deadlines for each one. Every time that i finished one page design, he would give me another totally different assignment. But I learned so much, and I feel like I am ready and confident as I head to Bemidji State University, where I will major in Graphic Design. I am excited to do something that i love, and I wouldn't have probably ever found it without Halverson forcing me to try something new." "When Jenna mentioned that she might be interested in Graphic Design, I figured that she might as well get a taste of the "rigor" and competition that will be in her college classroom, as well as on the basketball court." said Halverson. "I pretty much used my "Grandpa Ivor's Teaching Method." I taught her to swim by "Trowin' her 'outta 'da Boat!" But I did have a life vest under her desk. I totally expect that Jenna will be able to swim all the way to the top of her class."