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< Middle/High School Academics District Calendar Guidance Office Media Center New Enrollment May 2024 Student of the Month Kylie Waytashek Kylie is the daughter of Nicole. When asked about how family has impacted her, Kylie had this to say, “My family has taught me many things in life. They have taught me to be strong willed, show respect to others, to always be kind, and how to persevere during lifes challenges. I enjoy spending time with my family by going to sporting events, playing cards, spending time outdoors, deer hunting, watching movies, and playing games with my two little cousins. My family has always encouraged me to be the best that I can be. They always have supported me through the ups and downs of life. I am always thankful for my family.” During her time at Royalton, Kylie’s favorite class was Human Biology, “My favorite class in high school was human biology with Ms. Gerads. Human biology was memorable because I was able to learn so many new things about the human body. The reason human biology stood out to me was because of all of the various labs that we did. Some of the labs we did were dissecting baby pigs and analyzing sheep hearts. I would suggest this class to others because you get to learn so many new things about the human body, and how our systems work.” Kylie was asked if she had to pick a teacher that she really enjoyed in class, her response was Mr. Chris Coppicus, “My favorite teacher is Mr. Coppicus, our band teacher. He is my favorite teacher because he always makes class time enjoyable. Throughout my four years in band, Mr. Coppicus took the time to get to know me. Mr. Coppicus would always ask me about my life and how I am doing outside of school, and would often ask about my many basketball ventures. He inspires me to be a leader and to be someone others can look up to, just like he always was for me.” In school Kylie was involved in some different activities, “The activities I am involved in at Royalton include Basketball, Track and Field, and the Royal Ambassador Program. The biggest reason I enjoy each activity is because I get to spend time with all of my friends, while also trying my best to be a role model for the younger kids. Through my involvement in these activities, I have gained many friendships, new core memories, and have learned how to be the leader that I am so that I can have a positive impact on the students younger than me.” When asked about some special memories that she has from high school, there were a couple that came to mind, “My favorite high school memory was attending all of the sporting events. I got to spend time with my friends, while watching my classmates participate in a sport that they enjoy. I also have two specific memorable events that I took place in. The first one was during my freshman year of basketball; we beat #4 seeded Holdingford at their place in playoffs as underdogs being the #13 seed. We won 53-48 in overtime. The second event was this year at BBE when I broke two school records in one game, with one being for the most points in a game with 39, and the second being for the most threes in a game with ten.” Next year Kylie will be attending Valparaiso University on a basketball scholarship. “I am attending Valparaiso University and I am wanting to pursue a degree in biochemistry on the path to become an orthodontist and I will also be playing on the basketball team. I chose Valpo because I love my coach’s beliefs and my teammates’ energy and attitudes, and I fell in love with the campus itself. Once I stepped on campus, I knew that Valpo would be my home for the next four years.” Kylie’s advice to high school freshmen was this, “Advice I would give to the freshmen would be to make all of the little moments count throughout high school. Another big piece of advice would be to get involved in as many high school events and activities as you can, because through these you will meet friends, and you will get to experience new things that you might not have thought were interesting to you at first. I know it might seem cliche, but high school really does go by fast.”

< Middle/High School Academics District Calendar Guidance Office Media Center New Enrollment ROYALTON HIGH SCHOOL artist of the month September 2019 Artist of the Month Matthew Kasella Read More October 2019 Artist of the Month Kelsie Norberg Read More November 2019 Artist of the Month Jordan Pesta Read More December 2019 Artist of the Month Autumn Larson Read More January 2020 Artist of the Month Logan Sullivan Read More February 2020 Artist of the Month Isaac Kasella Read More March 2020 Artist of the Month Madison Gutzkow Read More April 2020 Artist of the Month Jenna Anderson Read More September 2018 Artist of the Month Brooke Richards Read More October 2018 Artist of the Month Isaac Kasella Read More November 2018 Artist of the Month Jordan Pesta Read More December 2018 Artist of the Month Kylee Berg Read More January 2019 Artist of the Month Kendra Duevel Read More February 2019 Artist of the Month Alexandra Storkamp Read More March 2019 Artist of the Month Grace Gall Read More April 2019 Artist of the Month Gavin Sowada Read More September 2017 Artist of the Month Cole Scofield Read More October 2017 Artist of the Month Emily Ferguson Read More November 2017 Artist of the Month Jason Kasella Read More December 2017 Artist of the Month Adam Beam Read More

< Middle/High School Academics District Calendar Guidance Office Media Center New Enrollment March 2024 Student of the Month Baley Bueckers Baley is the daughter of David and Nichole. When it comes to family Baley says being the oldest of her siblings has taught her many lessons, “I am the oldest of four daughters, and having three younger siblings has taught me a lot in life, especially how I will never have a dull or quiet moment in life. I have learned things such as what not to do or say around them, because they will repeat it. I have also learned to set a good example and be a role model for my sisters because trust me, your younger siblings will want to be just like you when they grow up. I cannot give myself all the credit on how to be a good example, because I was shown how by my parents. My mother and father have taught me a lot in life including how to be kind and respectful to others while knowing how to work hard and have determination for the things you want in life. My family has had a great impact on me and even if I don’t show it enough to them, I thank and love them all for helping me become the person I am. As a family, my favorite thing we do together is go on little day trips where we go somewhere together for a day to go hiking, shopping, and try new restaurants and ice cream shops.” When it comes to her classes Baley says her favorite class was CIS Human Body Systems with Mrs. Gerads “My favorite class I have taken would be CIS Human Body Systems with Mrs. Gerads. If I could tell any student who has any interest in anything medical or dealing with the human body to take this class. I’ll be honest the class was not easy it definitely took a lot of studying and hard work, but the teacher Mrs. Gerads is so helpful and an amazing teacher and made learning this difficult stuff a lot of fun. Another thing that stood out to me about this class was my great group of friends that took the class with me and all the labs we completed such as dissecting pigs, looking at different body tissues, and my personal favorite the “Anna Garcia Crime Scene” lab.” As far as a favorite teacher, Baley looks to the past “My favorite teacher would have to be my fourth-grade teacher Mrs. Hoheisel. Mrs. Hoheisel taught our class a lot of things such as math and social studies, but my favorite thing we were taught was silent ball. Our class loved silent ball, we played it almost every day adding new rules and having fun with each other as classmates. Besides the fun of silent ball, Mrs. Hoheisel taught me something I find most important and that is to always be kind to other students. One day Mrs. Hoheisel sat our class down and had a talk to us about how a student in our class was having a hard home and the struggles this student was going through, and I thank Mrs. Hoheisel for sharing it with the class and having such compassion for this student because I think it taught not only myself, but my other classmates to be kind to one another because you never know what someone is going through.” At Royalton High School, Baley is involved in many activities, she participates in Cross Country, Basketball, Track and Field, Business Professionals of America, Spanish Club, YES Club, and Drama. Baley believes all these activities plays a large role in her ability to meet people and make friends, “I enjoy all these activities each for their own reason but the one thing they all have in common is the friends and memories I have with them. All of my best friends are in each of these different activities so it allows me to spend time with them all throughout the year. Being a part of all these activities keeps me busy and active while also learning new things and how to work as a team with people. Joining these activities has impacted my life for the better and I am so happy to be a part of these activities with all my friends.” As for outside of school this is what Baley said, “I do not really participate in any activities but I do have a job I enjoy. I work at Bill's superette during school on the weekends and throughout the summer. For my job, I open the store every Sunday morning with my friend Libby at 5:30 in the morning where she and I work together to open the store. My favorite part of working at Bill’s would have to be my Sunday co-workers and manager April. Together these people are so amazing, lots of fun, and very hard working. As a group we all work together to make sure the store is stocked with groceries, nice and clean, and that the kitchen is full. As much as having a job doesn’t seem fun, I enjoy mine because when you work with the right people who make a boring job fun, it is really worth it.” Baley’s favorite memory in high school took place outside of school, “My favorite high school memory would have to be all the Starbucks and Dunkin runs I have gone on with my friends Claire and Arianne. Although it has definitely hurt our bank accounts, being able to spend time with my friends and enjoy a little break from school to have a nice iced coffee has been the highlight of my year.” Then Baley’s favorite event that took place at school was homecoming! “My favorite event I have been involved in would have to be all the homecoming weeks I have participated in. Last year as an 11th grader, I competed in a game of human style Hungry Hungry Hippos where I beat my friend Mya with a laundry basket in order to grab the last ball and win the game for my grade. This year as a senior, I was a part of the homecoming court and later spent time with my senior class competing in games and having fun together for one last year.” Baley’s post high school plans consists attending UND, “This fall, I will be attending the University of North Dakota for forensic science on a pre-med path. After I receive my degree in forensic science, I plan to attend medical school with the career goal of becoming a medical examiner. For me, I have always had a passion to help people and as odd as it might be, becoming a medical examiner is the way I want to help. Being a medical examiner is hard, but I want to put this career to use and help the families of the individuals who have passed away and figure out how they passed so the family can have closure.” In 10 years Baley has this thought, “In ten years, I hope to see myself with a career as a medical examiner of course, but I also want one thing in life and that is to live in an old Victorian style mansion. If I can have one thing in life when I am older it is my dream house. My long-term plan is to see myself having one of these old mansions one day with a nice lake close by, sitting with my future spouse on our porch with our many cats and our golden retriever and vizsla dogs.” When it comes to advice she would give to high school freshmen, this is what Baley had to say, “If I can give any advice to freshmen, I would tell them that of course school and grades are important and they should complete their work, but the most important thing is to surround yourself with good people who encourage you to be successful and kind to others because that is how you will make it far in life.”

< Middle/High School Academics District Calendar Guidance Office Media Center New Enrollment February 2024 Student of the Month Brooke Wenner Brooke is the daughter of Robert and Carol. Brooke’s family has helped her grow and learn, “The two biggest lessons I have learned from my family is to strive to always be kind to people and to never give up on my dreams and ambitions. I enjoy going on family road trips up to Duluth, hanging out by the fire during the summer, or simply just talking about life in the living room with my family. My dad, my mom, and my sister Breanna are all huge role models in my life who are all super hard working and compassionate for others. They encourage me to make as many relationship bonds as I can, be ambitious about my goals, and make sure I try to put a smile on people's faces. They encourage me to do amazing things but the most important thing of all is that they encourage me to be myself and love myself.” At Royalton High School Brooke participates in many activities, “The first activities I joined were volleyball and softball and speech. These sports have offered many friendships and connections that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I have met some of the most amazing people whether they are students at Royalton or students from other schools. I gained a sense of teamwork, management skills, and a lot of patience as a result of being in these sports. Other activities I have joined have been YES club, the Royal Ambassador program, drama/theater, student council, and Minnesota Honor Society. My involvement in these areas has made me develop so many new skills and given me life lessons that I will cherish forever.” Looking at her classes Brooke says her favorite class has been Independent Art, “My favorite class is my art independent. I love this class because it’s a way where I can show my creative abilities, and I don’t have to follow a guideline as to how to create my art. An art dependent gives you the freedom to create any art you want so I really got to use both my problem-solving skills, but also my imagination. I love that I got to use this class as an opportunity to be able to tap into my almost silly and childlike self. Another reason why I love this class so much is because of the people in it. I absolutely adore my teacher, Mrs. Tordsen. She is such a ball of light and just being in her class makes me ten times happier. I also love my friends of course and during this class I can talk with them, and have a stress-free hour to hang out with them.” When asked about some her favorite teachers at RHS, Brooke had this to say, “All of my teachers greatly impacted me in their own unique ways, so it’s hard to decide but if I had to narrow it down, I would have to say that Ms. Meek and Mr. Koenig are teachers who have made a huge impact in my time during high school. Ms. Meek is such a special person to me because not only has she been my teacher, but she has also been my coach, and she has honestly felt like another cool aunt! Ms. Meek is the type of person you always wish to have in high school. She is there whenever you need help in school, advice in a sport, or even if you need a person to cry to. I will miss my random pop-ins into her room to bother her about life and her contagious laugh. She inspires me to stand up for what I believe in and encourages me to be the strong woman I am. Mr. Koenig has also been a huge role model in my life. He is a special person to me because I know I can always count on him if I ever need to talk. His goofy personality makes it so fun to be around and I know I can easily joke with him. Through having him as a teacher and student council advisor I have seen that he is truly such a kindhearted person who would be willing to do anything for his students. All of my teachers have played a role in shaping who I am today, so they all hold a special place in my heart. Brooke’s favorite high school memory was her trip to New York, “The high school memory that stands out above all the others is when the drama and choir groups took a trip to New York. This trip had many ups and downs however I still think about this trip almost every day. I loved that I got to share my first experience in New York with some of my best friends. My favorite parts of the trip were when we went to Coney Island and swam at the beach and looked for sea glass. I also loved when we watched the Broadway shows, The Lion King and Hamilton. However, my favorite part of the trip was when we would debrief about our day. No matter the ups and downs of the trip, I will always remember this vacation. Outside of school Brooke’s activities include, “The main activity I participate in outside of school would be working with kids at MAP. I work at a program called MAP over at Royalton Elementary school. During the summer and school year the children get to hang out together, continue learning new things, and go on awesome field trips where they can flourish and really connect to one another. This is where they can truly be children and escape from whatever may be bothering them elsewhere. I started working at MAP because I love to see the joy in children, and I want to be the role model for them and so they know I will always be there for them. This job has taught me to have more patience for others, try my best to make others happy, and to be in the present moment. Along with her favorite high school memory Brooke also had another experience that she will cherish. “My favorite school event was when we took a trip to Craguns for our student council retreat. This was one of the best trips because there were so many activities we got to do. We participated in ice breaker activities with people from other schools, we got to listen to motivational speakers talking about leadership, and have some pretty awesome food. However, my absolute favorite part was when we were able to go to the pool to swim and sing karaoke and then have a big dance party at night.” As to what she plans to do next year and where she sees herself in 10 years, Brooke had this to say, “I will be attending the University of North Dakota this upcoming fall. I will be majoring in business and working toward receiving my bachelors. After I finish with college, I will be working to start my own business as well as advancing in the marketing field. I’m still debating on exactly what I’m going to invest into for a business, however figuring that out will come with time. The question of where I will be in 10 years is a harder one for me to answer because I’m a very easy going, go with the flow kind of girl. I’ve thought about what life would be like however I’m not super strict with how my life has to go. I only hope to have a sustainable job in order for me to support my family, and to be able to have the freedom of working on different hobbies. I believe hobbies are very important for happiness so this would be something I would need.” Brooke’s advice to high school freshmen is this “Make sure you stay true to yourself. Don’t change anything for anyone if you’re not comfortable with it. If you feel overwhelmed or like you need a change then please do it. Do it for yourself because at the end of the day this is your experience and you have the ability to shape who you are as you grow into adulthood. Make these next four years the best you possibly can because I promise you, time flies by.

ROYALTON HIGH SCHOOL Student of the Month 1 2 3 4 5 1 ... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ... 7 January 2024 Student of the Month Adonijah Ripple Read More December 2023 Student of the Month Hannah Krueger Read More November 2023 Student of the Month Maimouna "Mouna" Toure Read More October 2023 Student of the Month Nick Leibold Read More September 2023 Student of the Month Nate Moga Read More May 2023 Student of the Month Nola Blais Read More April 2023 Student of the Month Morgan Duevel Read More March 2023 Student of the Month James Vannurden Read More February 2023 Student of the Month Mya Yourczek Read More 1 2 3 4 5 1 ... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ... 7

< Middle/High School Academics District Calendar Guidance Office Media Center New Enrollment ROYALTON HIGH SCHOOL artist of the month September 2019 Artist of the Month Matthew Kasella Read More October 2019 Artist of the Month Kelsie Norberg Read More November 2019 Artist of the Month Jordan Pesta Read More December 2019 Artist of the Month Autumn Larson Read More January 2020 Artist of the Month Logan Sullivan Read More February 2020 Artist of the Month Isaac Kasella Read More March 2020 Artist of the Month Madison Gutzkow Read More April 2020 Artist of the Month Jenna Anderson Read More September 2018 Artist of the Month Brooke Richards Read More October 2018 Artist of the Month Isaac Kasella Read More November 2018 Artist of the Month Jordan Pesta Read More December 2018 Artist of the Month Kylee Berg Read More January 2019 Artist of the Month Kendra Duevel Read More February 2019 Artist of the Month Alexandra Storkamp Read More March 2019 Artist of the Month Grace Gall Read More April 2019 Artist of the Month Gavin Sowada Read More September 2017 Artist of the Month Cole Scofield Read More October 2017 Artist of the Month Emily Ferguson Read More November 2017 Artist of the Month Jason Kasella Read More December 2017 Artist of the Month Adam Beam Read More

< Middle/High School Academics District Calendar Guidance Office Media Center New Enrollment January 2024 Student of the Month Adonijah Ripple Adonijah believes his family has helped him learn to work hard, “My family has taught me to work hard in every area of my life. They let me choose what I dedicate my time to, so long as I do it to the best of my ability. They support me in these things by showing up to events, or helping me when they can. In addition to emotional support, I’m forever grateful that they’ve given me financial support in my education, and just plain old fun.” When it comes to activities outside of school Adonijah said this, “Outside of school I’m involved in our church’s worship team, playing guitar. I enjoy doing this both because I get to play guitar with other skilled people, but also because I get to develop relationships with other people while also sharing my faith. This has also given me opportunities like the worship team I got to be a part of through Minnesota AIM (Ambassadors in Mission). That trip in particular was one of the most important and memorable experiences I’ve ever had.” In school Adonijah has a few activities that he’s been really involved, “I mainly participate in our CTE club, Business Professionals of America (BPA). BPA gave me an excuse to both buy and wear a suit, at least it started that way. But, as my life started to point more towards business related activities, it became vital to my business education. It also gave me an opportunity to develop my leadership skills.” When Adonijah looks at what his favorite class has been during his high school career, he says art would be his pick, “Though I’m not super great at it, every art class I’ve taken has been among my favorite classes. Creating things of value (whether it be personal or for others) is one of the most important aspects of my life, and art class has given me a way to do that. Right now, ceramics is my favorite in particular, clay is an easy medium to work with because you can shape it into exactly what you see in your mind. Art would benefit others by giving them an outlet for creativity and expression, and an opportunity to do what they want, solving problems on their own.” As for his favorite teachers at Royalton, it’s not an easy pick for Adonijah, “This is a difficult question to answer because all of my teachers have shaped both my educational experience and my life. Mr. Silbernick was one of my favorite teachers because he approached teaching with such passion and genuine interest in his students. Though it was frustrating, he encouraged my class to solve problems on their own, with all of their effort, so that they might learn even more in the process. Whenever I get the opportunity to help someone understand something, this is the exact same approach I take because of how important it was for me in math. Other teachers like Mr. Koenig and Mrs. Tordsen both helped me foster my creativity, but were also sincere and dedicated to teaching me.” Adonijah’s favorite memories of high school have come during Royal Hour, “My favorite memory of high school is getting to hang out with my friends in the band practice rooms during Royal Hour (Study Hall). Especially before half of my friends graduated, this was the best place to get zero work done and have conversations about nothing in particular, and that was the best part, it was just enjoying each other's company and sharing in lots of laughs.” As for Adonijah’s favorite activity at high school, it came in BPA, “Getting to go to the national competition for BPA was one of my favorite events in high school. Once I had finally sorted out the funding for the trip to California, we got to hang out in the sun while the rest of my peers were still dealing with the cold in Minnesota. The actual competition part was horrific. I had a headache the whole way through the accounting test I did from staring at the screen so hard. Getting to stand on the podium for 3rd place in a national competition was surreal though. In my mind it took a while to register my accomplishment, because I only saw it as winning one competition, and I didn’t see all of the other people that didn’t even qualify.” When asked what his post high school plans were, Adonijah says he plans to head south to the great state of Iowa, “After high school I plan to move to Iowa with my dad and start a career in real estate. The main thing I want to do is get into real estate investing. After getting to meet one of the Quad Cities real estate moguls, he inspired me to pursue a life in real estate. I plan to also get licensed and become an agent. In addition, I plan to scale and eventually sell my pressure washing business.” In ten years, this is where Adonijah sees himself, “In 10 years, I want to create my own personal economy. By personal economy I mean I want to be bringing real value to the people I’ve surrounded myself with, both by providing them with jobs, but also opportunities to do the very same things that I’m doing. It is also vitally important to me that I build generational wealth for those that come after me.” Lastly Adonijah’s advice to freshman was, “I want to give freshmen the same advice my parents gave me, whatever you choose to do, do it with everything you have. Respect your elders, but also your peers. Studying to remember things is great, but truly learning things is the most important thing. The one thing people can’t take away from you is your education, you’ll still have it even if you hit rock bottom. Finally, take high school seriously, but not too seriously, remember that you're still a kid and will be an adult for the rest of your life.”

< Middle/High School Academics District Calendar Guidance Office Media Center New Enrollment December 2023 Student of the Month Hannah Krueger Hannah is the daughter of Isaac and Amy. Hannah gives her family a lot of credit for where she is today, “My family is a huge part of my success as a student. Whether it be my mom and dad always pushing me to be the best person or my sister giving me advice on my academics and life. I was raised in a family who has always celebrated the little things. In the past, some things we have celebrated are positive semester-end grades, doing well on a test, no missing assignments, and extra effort on class work. I believe that celebrating these accomplishments helped motivate me with my studies by getting my work done and being okay with putting forward a great effort but not always getting the results that I wanted. These skills have helped me grow and succeed in other parts of my life such as sports and work. Though I have had success in many aspects, I have also experienced times when things didn't turn out the way I had hoped or I didn’t achieve what I was striving for. My family has helped me realize that it is okay as long as I tried my best. In our free time our family is always at the gym. We spend almost every Tuesday, Thursday, and sometimes Fridays in the gym. As a competitive family there is nothing we would rather be doing.” At Royalton High School, Hannah is involved in activities such as: volleyball, basketball, and golf. Hannah believes all these activities have been beneficial for her with each offering her different skills. “I am involved in a variety of sports, mainly volleyball, basketball, and golf. I enjoy being a part of a chosen family that is formed with each sport. The drive to do well for your teammates and coaches during games or practice is something that is not found anywhere else. I believe that everyone should try a sport in their lifetime due to the number of skills such as responsibility, leadership, and teamwork you practice while playing. These are life lessons that have helped me get through adversity in my school work and personal life and are skills that I will take into my adult life. Outside of school Hannah spends a lot of her time teaching others. “Outside of school I am a volleyball coach for our JO program as well as teaching 1st grade religion. I look forward to both of these activities due to the fact I am growing in my learning as well as teaching the younger generation. The amount of joy in the younger generation when they have something click in their brain is one of the reasons why I love to do it. By participating in these activities, I am able to learn how to think on the fly as well as learning more responsibility. These are life skills that I will use throughout my life similar to the skills that sports have taught me.” When it comes to her classes Hannah says her favorite class has been her art class. “My favorite class throughout high school is my art independent that I am currently in. I am able to work at my own pace and produce art projects that mean something to me. There are many classes that have the work laid out for you on the first day of class. In my independent I am able to walk into the class and do something different every day. Another reason I like this class is I share this independent with many friends. Every day is like a social hour with friends while producing art. Most of my time so far has been spent making clay projects on the wheel, however, in the future I will be working on creating paintings. I am super excited to display my work in the upcoming school art show in May alongside my friends!” As for a favorite teacher Hannah looked at not just one but a few that have impacted her academic career, “I am very blessed to have lived in Royalton my whole life for the fact that I am able to see the teachers that shaped me at a young age frequently. In elementary school my favorite teacher was Mrs. Carlson who taught fourth grade. Walking into her class she made each and every one of her students feel special. I was able to work at a pace that helped me learn that best. She also was the type of teacher who made her lessons fun. Instead of packets of paper based off of a PowerPoint, she made things interactive for us. I believe that is what made her class my favorite. Moving onto middle school was a big change for me. We started to have different teachers for different subjects as well as opening lockers with a combination. The transition also brought a different building with all new teachers. I quickly realized that Mrs. Schreifels was the teacher that I was going to rely on when I needed help. She was there to talk if a student needed help and was more than happy to come in early or stay a little late if I needed help on anything. She truly wants all of her students to succeed not only in the classroom but life as well. After middle school the transition to high school was super simple. My junior year I took composition with Mrs. Menden and she quickly became my favorite teacher I had ever had. Taking her class meant I was about to get swamped with homework, however, I came into class with a smile on my face because just being in her class made me happy. Having her as a teacher made the workload more bearable. When I started her class the first day of junior year, I was a terrible writer. Today, because of the effort and time she dedicated to teaching me, I am able to write papers and produce speeches at the college level. This was no easy feat for her so, I am grateful that I had the opportunity to take her class.” Hannah’s favorite memory happened this past fall during volleyball, “My favorite high school memory was during this year's volleyball season when I hit my goal of reaching 1,000 career digs. This moment was super special to me because of all the hard work I have put into getting better and allowing myself to strive for a goal that not many players accomplish. What made it feel even more special was the amount of support I had from my coaches, teammates, classmates, friends, family, and community. It would not have been the same without the support of everyone behind me. From the beginning when I established my goal my family, friends, and coaches have helped me push myself even when I was tired and wanted to give up on my dream.” As for the single best activity Hannah has been involved with in high school, was during her freshman basketball season, “The best activity I was involved in was my freshman year playoff basketball game against Holdingford. This had the potential to be my last basketball game I would play with my older sister, Aubrey, we were the number 13 seed while Holdingford was the number 4 seed. Everyone thought this game was a definite loss for us due to the seedings and that they had beat us twice in regular season pretty handedly. Our team decided that was not the narrative we wanted so we took them into overtime and beat them by 4. The sheer excitement from our team, coaches, and the crowd was amazing. The cherry on top was the fact that they were our biggest rivals since moving into the CMC conference. This day and all the excitement will be with me for the rest of my life.” For next year, Hannah is heading to the University of North Dakota, “After high school I plan to attend the University of North Dakota Grand Forks to pursue a degree in criminal justice then, further my education and attend law school to become an attorney. With my law degree I plan to be an estate or family attorney with my own practice serving the central Minnesota area. I choose this field of study because I have always been interested in the criminal justice system as well as the part lawyers or attorneys play in the system. Another part of the job that drew me to this is the fact that I get to interact with people along with helping them with their legal needs.” When asked where she wants to be in 10 years, Hannah had this to say. “In 10 years, I see myself graduating with a Bachelors and Juris Doctor degree from the University of North Dakota. After graduating, I plan to own my own law firm or work in a firm that will lead me to accomplish my goal of owning one. By this point, I hope to be married and start a family when my spouse and I are financially able to do so. These goals are important to me because I am a very family-oriented person and strive to be the best at what I do.” Hannah’s advice to high school freshmen is this, “Be as active in as many extracurricular offerings as possible. Whether it be a part of the drama club, managing a sports team, or playing a sport I believe every student should be involved. This is where you will meet a lot of your friends for the next four years. In addition to being involved I would tell younger kids to enjoy it while you can. It is such a cliché but you never know what you have until it's gone and it goes by so fast.”

< Middle/High School Academics District Calendar Guidance Office Media Center New Enrollment October 2023 Student of the Month Nick Leibold Nicholas is the son of Jason and Tammie Leibold. Nicholas says his family has been a huge influence on his life, “My family has been a huge influence on me. My parents have encouraged me to be true to myself. They have raised me with a strong faith, good work ethic, and they have always told me that whatever I start I have to finish. I enjoy going pheasant hunting with my family, snowmobiling in Idaho, and working side by side with my family working on my dad’s tree business.” Outside of school Nicholas is very active with his church. He attends every Youth Group activity and has been on multiple mission trips to places as close as Wisconsin and as far away as Jamaica. When asked to elaborate about his mission trips, Nicholas responded with this, “While on these mission trips, I have helped the community through working to restore an old community center, cleaning up the local parks, as well as just being a friend at an adult day care center. I enjoyed the mission trips we took to an all-boys home in Jamaica as a family. While in Jamaica, we worked on many things from building the boys' new bunk beds, repairing windows and screens, as well as painting a water tower. The best part was bonding with the boys and teaching them skills my dad taught me.” When asked what his favorite class in school has been, Nicholas responded with Landscaping, “My favorite class was Landscaping. It was a hands-on class that got your hands dirty. It taught me things that I will need to know outside of school and in the real world. I would most definitely suggest this class to other kids because it teaches you things that you don't learn in your standard classes.” As for a teacher that has left an impact on him, Nicholas’ response was Mr. Koenig. “One of the most influential teachers that I have had would have to be Mr. Koenig, who was my 9th, 10th and 11th grade English teacher. What I liked most about Mr. Koenig, was that he would really take time out of the class period to work with you one on one until you fully understood what we were working on for that day. He would also take time to get to know each and every kid in the class. Mr. Koenig is not only my English teacher, he is also my Student Council Adviser and he is also one of my FCA advisers (Fellowship of Christian Athletes).” While attending Royalton, Nicholas has been involved in a number of different activities such as: FCA, Student Council, YES Club, Cross Country, Wrestling and Baseball. This is what Nicholas has to say about his involvement with all his activities, “I really like all of these activities, but I would have to say my most favorite would be wrestling, because the team aspect of wrestling is great. I also like the discipline part of the sport because it challenges you to always get better than the day before.” Nicholas’ favorite memory of high school has been when the Royalton Wrestling Team made it to the Class A State Championship match his sophomore year. “We ended up second in the State as a team, but the experience of being in the State Championship as a team was the best feeling ever. Just to know that your team is one of the best in the state is beyond crazy.” After high school Nicholas plans to work full time for his dad’s business “Jays Tree Care & Firewood.” His long term goal is to take over the business with my older brothers and continue building what my dad established. When asked if Nicholas had any advice for incoming freshmen this is what he had to say, “High school is going to go by extremely fast, so my advice for incoming freshmen is to enjoy the moment while it lasts and do not wish it away.”

< Middle/High School Academics District Calendar Guidance Office Media Center New Enrollment March 2022 Student of the Month Ella Sliter Royalton High School is proud to announce that Ella Sliter was selected as Student of the Month for March. Ella is the daughter of Greg and Sara. Ella believes her family has been vital in teaching her and helping her learn many things, “My family has taught me to have a hard work ethic, leadership, a positive attitude, and overall enjoy what is going on. While these past few years have been hectic, my family enjoys going on walks, watching movies, being outside, shopping, and whatever we feel like doing.” Outside of school Ella spends her time working and getting involved in her local church. She works at Pacific Wok in Sartell and Gliks Boutique in St. Cloud. She also leads a small group in church during Vacation Bible School. In school Ella says she doesn’t have just one favorite teacher she has 3 and they are Mr. Silbernick, Ms. Gerads, and Mrs. Noerenberg. She also has a couple favorite classes in Human Body Systems and Physics. Ella says, “In HBS I loved being able to dive deeper into what a human body actually does. My favorite part about the class would have been dissecting a cow eyeball. I would recommend to anyone who has interest in the medical field to take HBS. Physics is also another one of my top classes, which is weird because I dread the work done in the class. I think it is one of my favorite classes just because of the people and the teacher.” Ella has also been involved in a number of activities during her time at Royalton High School. She has been involved in Minnesota Honor Society, Y.E.S/Tech Club, Student Council, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Basketball, and Softball. Ella believes each activity has given her a learning experience, “Each activity has taught me teamwork, leadership, and time efficiency.” When looking back her memories in high school this is what Ella had to say “My favorite high school memory honestly would have to be all the countless memories made throughout the past few years. A couple that sticks out the most would be the memories made from basketball. One would be watching all the bloopers on film aka Alise getting hit on the head with a ball, and Autumn tripping over air.” Next year Ella plans to head out west and attend Montana State University. Ella isn’t quite sure what she wants to major in yet, but she’s ok with that at this time, “My plans next year are to attend Montana State University. As of right now, I am going in as undecided. I chose Montana State because I love the mountains, and I am ready to spread my wings (cliche I know).” Ella’s advice for freshmen was this, “have fun while you can. Also, PSEO classes will save you in the long run.”

< Middle/High School Academics District Calendar Guidance Office Media Center New Enrollment December 2022 Student of the Month Ashley Knettel Ashley is the daughter of Paul and Alissa Knettel. Ashley says her parents have played a large role in her life and has made her who she is, “My parents have always encouraged me to try my best at anything I accomplish, and they’ll be proud of me no matter what. My parents remind me of this refresher on the daily, which I truly believe is what fuels me to try my best every day. With my family, I enjoy having family dinners, hanging out at our cabin, and sitting down to complete a puzzle with one another.” At Royalton High School, Ashley is involved in a variety of activities, multiple sports to numerous clubs and groups and has enjoyed many of them. “At school I am involved in volleyball, softball, speech, Minnesota Honors Society, and YES Club. I enjoy volleyball and softball because I love the exciting feeling of being a part of a great play and cheering on my teammates when they do the same. I also enjoy speech because it has pushed me out of my comfort zone to try a new activity while having fun and making memories with my teammates. I enjoy the Minnesota Honors Society because I am able to make a difference in the community with my closest friends by running our school’s blood drive and participating in our City-Wide Cleanup. Lastly, I enjoy YES Club, because I have been able to participate in many environmentally friendly projects to better the Earth and our school.” When it comes to her classes Ashley says her favorite class was College Human Biology. “My favorite high school class I’ve ever taken is CIS Human Biology. I have always had a fascination with human anatomy and this course dives very deep into such complex information that I find very interesting. This class stands out to me as a student because I have the opportunity to dissect pig fetuses and sheep hearts to strengthen my learning about biological anatomy. I would suggest other students to take this class if you’re interested in pursuing an occupation in medical science, because you will retain a great deal of valuable information that will stick with you! As for a favorite teacher in high school Ashley says Ms. Alyssa Gerads rises to the top of her list “My favorite teacher throughout high school years has been Mrs. Gerads. Not only is Mrs. Gerads a very intelligent and organized teacher, she also radiates such positive energy to her students with her bubbly and friendly personality. Mrs. Gerads has made my biology and CIS human biology courses important to me because she exposed my love to learn about science with her great teaching methods. Mrs. Gerads inspires me because she obtained her master’s degree at such a young age, which has made me want to work as hard as her to acquire my own someday.” When asked what her favorite high school memory was, she had one that stands above all others and that was 2022 Prom. “My favorite high school memory was definitely my junior prom. My junior prom was such a blast because I had a great date and best friends who also love to sing and dance to our favorite songs and we had so much fun while doing it. I can proudly say the missing voice and sore muscles from singing and dancing all night long was definitely worth it. Besides that, the dinner was delicious and the whole day had a great vibe.” Ashely’s best event/activity she was involved in that stood at Royalton High school has been speech, “The activity that stands out the most to me that I am involved in is speech. Speech has pushed me out of my comfort zone immensely with performing and talking in front of crowds and judges. After my first season of speech last year, I believe I am more comfortable with presenting in front of a classroom, my social skills have greatly improved, and I have made incredible friendships with my teammates and speakers from other schools as well.” When asked what she plans to do next year and where she sees herself in 10 years, Ashley had this to say “I plan to further my education at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities to study nutrition. After earning my Bachelor of Science degree, my dream is to attend school once again to obtain my master’s degree to become a registered dietitian. Over the past few years, nutrition has sparked my interest because I’ve realized how important it is to consume the right foods to properly fuel your body and prevent diseases. In 10 years, I hope that I reached all my academic goals, to be settled down, and to have an occupation I thoroughly enjoy. These goals are important to me because if I succeed in these goals, I know I will have a very successful and happy life ahead of me.” Finally, Ashley’s advice to high school freshmen is, “Slow down, you're doing fine, you can’t be everything you want to be before your time.” This advice is actually a lyric from Billy Joel’s “Vienna”. When life and school become too much to handle some days, I believe it’s important to remind ourselves to destress by taking life day-by-day, and how success doesn't come easy, take your time and it will all be worth it in the end.

< Middle/High School Academics District Calendar Guidance Office Media Center New Enrollment December 2018 Student of the Month Jackson Held Jackson Held, son of Joe and Janet Held, has been named the December Student of the Month at Royalton High School (RHS). He has an older brother, Ty, who graduated from RHS. Held’s favorite class is math with Jeff Schoenrock because, “he makes it easy and fun.” “I have had Jackson the last 2 years in both of my college math classes. He has excelled in my classes. He quickly grasps the concepts and then helps others in class understand it. He is able to explain things in a way others seem to understand,” said Schoenrock. “Jackson is very dedicated to RHS. I have not only witnessed him giving it his all in the classroom, I also see him daily in the workout center. He gave it his all in football this year and is doing the same in wrestling. All his hard work is paying off in the classroom, on the field, and on the mat. He is a positive role model for all the students and athletes in school. Jackson is very respectful, caring and hardworking.” Social Studies teacher Jeremy Schaa said, “Jackson speaks with his actions not his words, and demonstrates what it looks like to be both a good student and a good person.” Held’s activities include football, wrestling, and FFA. A favorite high school memory for Jackson was the senior class winning the Homecoming Olympics. Future plans for Held are to attend St.Cloud State University where he plans to study construction management. He will also continue his wrestling career at SCSU. Jackson’s advice to freshmen is, “Do what has to be done; when it has to be done; as well as it can be done; do it that way all the time.”