Tricia Castro, Nicholas Hamak and Sarah Loberg (left to right) recently earned their Minnesota Music Teachers Association Challenge Award Trophies at their spring piano recital May 8 at St. Francis Xavier in Sartell. They have all worked very hard and practiced numerous hours for the last five years by completing various programs offered by MMTA: comprehensive piano exams, theory exams, Ensemble Festivals, District and State Piano Contests, Honors Recitals and Bridges Programs. Each program is worth 100 points except the All-Comprehensive Piano Exam, which is worth 300 points; 2,500 points are needed to be awarded the large trophy. The Challenge Award rewards students for participating in various MMTA programs, which help encourage steady musical growth and high performance standards.
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Cheryl Thieschafer, a Long Prairie native and resident of Sartell, was recently appointed as acting director of the St. Cloud VA Health Care System. Thieschafer will serve as acting director until a permanent director is selected. Thieschafer currently serves as the associate director of the St. Cloud VA Health Care System. Appointed in April 2012, she is responsible for the financial and administrative operations of the St. Cloud VA Health Care System. Previously, she served as an analyst and staff assistant to the health-care-system director and as the facility planner.
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Weber
Blake Weber, son of Kelly and Brent Weber, is a 2016 graduate of Sartell High School. He plans to attend St. Cloud State University.
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Kendra Voigt of Sartell made the honors dean’s list at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall. Students must earn a minimum 3.5 grade-point average to qualify for this honor.
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Shaun Curtis of Sartell, son of Nancy Curtis and the late Gerald Curtis, recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer software engineering from the University of Minnesota Crookston.
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Twenty-three Sartell students were recently named to the spring dean’s list at North Dakota State University, Fargo.
They and their majors are as follows: Amanda Burge, nursing; Jonathan Carlson, art; Ryan Dumont, mechanical engineering; Miranda Etienne, civil engineering; Danielle Fritz, pharmacy; Cole Gertken, pharmacy; Trevor Grindland, mechanical engineering; Rachel Johnson, pharmaceutical sciences; Jenna Karsky, medical laboratory science; Rachel Kirby, zoology; Sam Krauel, pharmaceutical sciences; Lauren Lauermann, nursing; Andrew Lindmeier, mechanical engineering; Lauren Martens, pharmaceutical sciences; Anna Miller, human development and family science; Kirsten Miller, pharmacy; Tony Paul, landscape architecture; Jena Sattler, nursing; Kayla Sorenson, nursing; Alec Staiger, mechanical engineering; Emma Stambaugh, marketing; Noelle Torrance, zoology; and Jacob Wenzel, industrial engineering and management.
Students must earn a minimum 3.50 grade-point average to qualify for this honor.
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Jenna Specht, St. Stephen, was recently named to the spring dean’s list at North Dakota State University, Fargo. She’s majoring in exercise science. Students must earn a minimum 3.50 grade-point average to qualify for this honor.
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Gary Olson of Sartell recently won finals in the 12:00 Index class of the Muscle Car Series races at Brainerd International Raceway.
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Michaela Marcum of Sartell has been awarded a $1,000 Minnesota Grocers Association Foundation Scholarship. She will use the scholarship to attend Bemidji (Minn.) State University.
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Five Sartell students were recently named to the spring semester dean’s list at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
They and their majors are as follows: Laurana Deuel, a sophomore, civil engineering; Tucker Isaacson, a senior, criminology and international studies; Allison Payonk, a freshman, music education; Taylor Shaw, a senior, teaching social studies; and Abigail Whitney, a senior, biology.
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Erin Mensinger, St. Stephen, was recently named to the spring semester dean’s list at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. She is a senior majoring in management.
