by Vicki Ikeogu
Nearly 300 Sartell High School students were recognized for their academic achievements during the past year at the annual Academic Breakfast Nov. 22.
Advance placement psychology and leadership class teacher Karrie Fredrickson said the recognition of students has been happening at the school since before she started teaching more than 20 years ago.
“I think a lot of the students who are recognized find it to be quite an honor,” Fredrickson said.
To earn an invitation to the annual breakfast event students have to achieve a 3.67 grade-point average or higher within the past year.
The breakfast is only open to students in grades 10-12.
The National Honor Society kids plan (the breakfast). They get the information from the counseling office and send out the invitations.
In addition to a meal before school, breakfast attendees also heard short speeches from Superintendent Jeff Schwiebert and Principal Brenda Steve. A guest speaker talked with students about the four pillars of the honor society: scholarship, service, leadership and character.
The Academic Breakfast is funded through concession sales done by the honor society. The ceremony overlaps into the school day by about 10 minutes.
“The kids see it as a celebration of work well done,” Fredrickson said. “Our kids these days are really active and are pulled in a lot of directions. They are pushed to be good students and good athletes and good participants of after-school clubs. We see more kids pushing themselves, taking more AP classes. So (maintaining a good GPA) is definitely something to be proud of.”