Royalton High School is proud to announce that Callie Vannurden was selected as Student of the Month for November. Callie is the daughter of Philip and Jill and sister of James and Max. Callie’s family has helped her grow and learn, “My family has taught me many things over my years in school, but the overall element that they have taught me is the importance of hard work. They have also encouraged me to try my best in all my activities and classes and no matter the outcome they will always be proud of me. My favorite activities to do with my family are watching movies and enjoying family dinners together.

At Royalton High School Callie participates in many activities such as: volleyball and  basketball and softball and serves as team captain in all 3. She is an officer for FFA and a member of Student Council and the Minnesota Honors Society. Callie believes all of her activities have taught her a lot “I have really learned what it takes to be a leader. Leadership has developed me into a more responsible and encouraging person. I have learned how every action I make (whether seen or not) can make a difference in someone's life.”

“It has been a pleasure coaching, teaching and knowing Callie for the past 4 years. She is a fantastic student and teammate. She has a great work ethic in the classroom and when it comes to her athletics she’ll do whatever it takes to help her team and teammates out and doesn’t complain. She works hard and is a great leader and role model. It is not a shock as to why she has been voted a captain by her teammates. She has definitely had a major positive impact her at Royalton,” commented Social Studies teacher and Head Girls Basketball Coach Brad Baumann.

Looking at her classes Callie says her favorite class has been Human Body Systems and her favorite teacher has been Ms. Gerads, “My favorite class in high school was Human Body Systems. This class is very memorable to me because I find it very enjoyable learning about the human body with fun labs and diagrams. I would suggest others to take this class if you are interested in the medical field. Ms. Gerads because she has always made my learning experience enjoyable. She inspires me with her organization and effort she puts into all of her classes to ensure that you understand what is going on and is always quick to answer my many questions.”

Callie’s favorite high school memory was during this year’s homecoming week, “My favorite High School memory was having the opportunity of being my school's homecoming queen. This was my favorite because it makes me feel like I have been a good classmate over the years. My favorite activity of being homecoming queen was being able to read and visit the younger kids and explain to them how being kind to one another and helping out your classmates can go a long way.”

Along with her favorite high school memory Callie also has a couple other memories and experiences that she will cherish. “The events that stand out above the others was the success of my Milk Quality team in the past years and Basketball team last year. One of the highlights of my FFA CDE Milk Quality was participating at the state convention and receiving 3rd place as a team in the state in 2019 and 2nd place in 2020. Another moment from my favorite activities was upsetting the Holdingford Huskers last year in basketball during the first round of playoffs. These events were both products of hard work and teamwork and I will forever remember them both.”

As to what she plans to do next year and where she sees herself in 10 years, Callie had this to say, “I plan to attend college for nursing and eventually become a labor and delivery nurse. I am planning on attending Ridgewater in Willmar. I really wanted to go into the nursing field because I am very much a people person and learned how important it is to take care of people. Then in 10 years I see myself working at a hospital or birthing center as a labor and delivery nurse. I plan to live in the area of Royalton because I want to stay close to my family.”

Callie’s advice to high school freshmen is this “Do not be afraid to try new activities. Although it may seem awkward or scary at first once you get into the swing of things, that's when you start to make memories and have fun! Also cherish the time that you have in high school because although four years seems like a long time it goes fast.”