by TaLeiza Calloway news@thenewsleaders.com Kennedy Community School is among more than 70 schools recently named as U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon Schools. The announcement came earlier this week. Minnesota is among 29 states and Washington, D.C. with schools receiving the first-ever awards. Other state schools honored include North Shore Community School in Duluth and Garlough Environmental Magnet School in
Volunteerism should be celebrated year-round
April might have marked National Volunteer Week, a time to hail the contributions of citizens who donate their time, but giving back to your school, church or community is something that should be done and celebrated year-round. National Volunteer Week 2012 was recognized April 15-21. While the week of appreciation ended six days ago, it cannot be disputed volunteers deserve
Earth Day celebrated in many ways
by TaLeiza Calloway news@thenewsleaders.com The rain was no damper on efforts to help clean up Millstream Park recently. About 70 volunteers and members of the St. Joseph Summer Recreation program stepped up to pick up trash along the Wobegon Trail, the ball fields and other surrounding park areas in celebration of Earth Day. St. Joseph Park Board Chairman John Anderson
Fundraiser to benefit Stride Academy
by TaLeiza Calloway news@thenewsleaders.com The idea grew from a casual conversation between friends over dinner. That conversation led to sending an email and then to the planning of their first fundraiser. Staci Theisen of St. Joseph and Kari Roberts of the Brainerd area thought about raising money to help their friend Jodi Rajkowski and her two sons Blake and Chase.
City opens two firefighter positions
by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleaders.com The City of Sartell hopes to get applications for the two current openings for Sartell-LeSauk firefighter positions — openings that became available due to retirements. The application deadline is Tuesday, May 15. A third opening is expected to occur this October when yet another firefighter, Bob Heins, will retire after 32 years of service. Applications are
Mock-crash fills students with horror
by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleaders.com Sitting in the outdoor bleachers, some of the Sartell High School students wiped tears from their eyes, some groaned or gasped and some looked away in horror. What they were seeing looked all too “real.” A young woman, perhaps 18 year old, lay dead — face-down on a car trunk beneath the shattered windshield. Her beautiful
Pine Meadow stages its own ‘Olympics’
by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleaders.com As the International Olympics’ stirring theme trumpeted from loudspeakers, a long parade of students solemnly entered the gymnasium at Pine Meadow Elementary School for Olympics Day April 20. Each class of students carried a large hand-colored flag of the country they were representing, just like in the “real” Olympics. In the front of the gymnasium, Sartell
Award-winning Strom ‘hunts’ with a camera
by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleaders.com One of Shirley Strom’s favorite photographs is one of herself, taken when she was 4 years old, holding her mother’s Kodak Brownie Box camera and clutching that camera as if, for all the world, it was her own. Even then, pre-school, Strom loved cameras and taking photographs. It’s no wonder after decades of shutterbugging, she has