Royalton High School announces Matthew Kasella has been named the October Student of the Month. 

 

Matthew is the son of Rob and Amy Kasella and the youngest brother of Jake, Megan, Katelyn, Krista and Jason. Matthew is grateful for his parents because “they gave me a strong work ethic.” The understanding of how to work stems from his experiences at Kasella Concrete. However, whether hunting or going to the lake, Matthew’s family also knows how to have fun together.  Coming from a large family has greatly affected Matthew’s personality; through their times together his family helped him “be the extroverted, loud speaking, energetic person I am today.”

 

He expends his energies in a variety of activities. Matthew’s extracurriculars include YES/Tech Club, wrestling, and football; “Friday Night Lights” gives him the best memories of his high school career because of “the sweat we put into each football play.”

 

As for school, Matthew states that his favorite teachers are Mr. Thielges and Mr. Halverson. Mr. Thielges first sparked his interest in engineering, and in his class, “I enjoy figuring out difficult problems and finding out why things work the way they do.”  He enjoys Mr. Halverson because he genuinely cares about each student, “I like that we can joke around yet really learn from him.” 

 

Carl Halverson, Royalton High School art teacher,  says, “Matthew is a bright young man with a promising future ahead of him. What separates him from so many sharp students is that he pays attention to others around him. It doesn't matter what grade they are in, nor what group they are associated with. Earning a Student of the Month honor should encompass so much more than just earning good grades. Matthew Kasella definitely has done just that through his efforts to better our school in so many different ways.”

 

Jeff Schoenrock, math teacher, states, “Matthew asks the why questions in order to fully understand how and why the math works.  He works very hard in the classroom and is goal driven. Matthew works hard in the classroom, on the field and on the mat.  He is a positive role model, not afraid to reach out and do what is right.”

 

This young man’s positivity is also noted by Monica Flakus, high school career counselor, “Matthew is a joyful, caring, and responsible student. What I find so refreshing with Matthew is the fact that he doesn't consider helping others to be a big deal - that is just who he is.  But, it is a BIG DEAL! He does all of these things naturally; he enjoys doing it and he takes his responsibilities seriously.”

 

After graduation, Matthew plans to attend North Dakota State University in Fargo, ND, and major in Civil Engineering. He hopes that in ten years he will have a solid job in engineering and have plenty of time for hunting and fishing trips. His advice for high school freshmen is to “spend your time doing the things you enjoy with the people that will be there for you.”