Welcome to School Talk+! This exclusively online edition will offer additional content and photos about the stories you read in the District's mailed news magazine, School Talk.

District orchestra students were featured in a virtual performance video that was featured on Schmitt Music’s Top 10 Minnesota Musical Moments for 2020.

In early February, orchestra students participated in the first in-person rehearsal for chamber orchestra since secondary schools shifted to distance learning in November.

 To keep the love of music and performing alive, about 40 third- through fifth-graders at Pinewood Elementary School have been virtually performing their favorite songs from popular musicals.

Masked and socially distant students from Irondale’s choir were able to perform a short concert while students were in blended learning in October.

Mounds View choir students quickly adapted to new technology in the COVID-19 era and performed a virtual choir concert in December.

For the first time in Mounds View High School history of theatre, the the fall play was live streamed for audiences to view from home. View photos from the performance below. 

Hennepin Theatre Trust’s Spotlight Education program honors and supports Minnesota high school musical theater students and programs by formally recognizing the extraordinary achievements and process of developing young artists, onstage and offstage. Learn more about the program here.

Irondale drama was awarded the top honor of outstanding overall performance for their fall play, Heaven Help the Po Taters. The following Irondale students won individual awards as well. 

• Alec Cummings, Outstanding Performance in a leading role
• Dreena Kuto and Ava Ericson, Outstanding Technical Leadership
• Natasha Vigoren and Sophia, Honorable Mention in Supporting Roles
• Emmie Hinnenkamp, Ada Vanderbilt, Miles Collins and Leo Keofod received Evaluator Shoutouts.

Irondale drama students directed and recorded a special virtual performance and shared it with elementary students in February. You can view the entire program here.

Mounds View Public Schools recently finished installing solar panel systems on the roofs of 13 school buildings. High school students led the process, which involved sending a petition to the community, engaging the School Board and drafting a resolution. Learn more about the project here and watch a video about it below. 

Nine Island Lake students received awards for their submissions to the Shoreview Human Rights poster contest to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The program asks fourth-graders to create posters that show people of different races and cultures interacting positively together. Learn more about the award here. View all of the Island Lake poster awards below. 

More than 25 Mounds View DECA students placed within the top four winners in their competition area in the Minnesota DECA virtual competition in January. Students from Mounds View, Irondale, Centennial, Spring Lake Park, North Branch, and Chisago Lakes high schools competed virtually in over 50 events in the areas of entrepreneurship, finance, hospitality, marketing and other related fields. The competition is designed to simulate and apply one’s knowledge to real-life business scenarios and test students’ academic understanding and skills development. 

Below, find the students who placed in the top 4 in their event, qualifying to the State Competition, held virtually March 7-9. Students at state will then compete in an effort to make it to international competition held virtually April 24-27.

• Claire Kadwell (3rd) in Apparel and Accessories Marketing Role Play
• Anna Grace and Riley Stern (1st) in Entrepreneurship Team Decision Making Role Play
• Ella Herbert (3rd) and Arya Tanksale (4th) in Hospitality and Tourism Professional Selling Consultation
• Garima Khatiwada (3rd) and Willow Haake (4th) in Hotel and Lodging Management Series Role Play
• Ally Brodin (1st) in Integrated Marketing Campaign - Event
• Phil Apel (2nd) and Peter Culp (3rd) in Marketing Communications Series Role Play
• Bhuvi Jain (1st) and Sorelle Tan (3rd) in Principles of Business Management and Administration Role Play
• Ethan Ito (1st), William Thurston (2nd) and Reyceliana Magaling (4th) in Principles of Hospitality and Tourism Role Play
• Elizabeth Xiao (3rd) and William Overbo (4th) in Principles of Marketing Role Play
• Gillian Anderson (1st) in Restaurant and Food Service Management Role Play
• James Adams (2nd) and Camille Tran (4th) in Sports and Entertainment Marketing Role Play
• Will Conlin and Cooper Kleppe (1st), Eric Cerkvenik and Kyle Claybaugh (2nd) in Sports and Entertainment Marketing Team Decision Making Role Play
• Lainey Ballinger and Leah Ban (1st) in Travel and Tourism Team Decision Making Role Play
• Leah Ban, Lainey Ballinger and Willow Haake (qualifiers) in Community Giving Project
• Anthony Willier and Hayley Dillon (qualifiers) in Human Resources Management Series

For the first time in school history, Irondale DECA Students competed virtually and advanced all 25 of their competitors by placing in the top four places among seven different schools, including 13 first place winners. See the complete list of winners below. 

•  Amina Ahmed
  Start-Up Business Plan, first place
  Principles of Hospitality and Tourism, third place

• Brooke Aulizia
  Buying and Merchandising Ops. Research Event, first place
  Retail Merchandising, fourth place

• Braden Boleman
  Integrated Marketing Campaign - Product, first place
  Apparel and Accessories Marketing, first place

• Joseph Bunay
  Start-Up Business Plan, fourth place
  Principles of Business Management and Administration, fourth place

• Julia Clark
  Innovation Plan, third place

• Charles Dojan
  Innovation Plan, fourth place
  Apparel and Accessories Marketing, fourth place

• Tristan Eskro
  Innovation Plan, second place
  Retail Merchandising, second place

• Ethan Favre
  Professional Selling Event, second place
  Personal Financial Literacy, second place

• Jaben Forbes
  Start-Up Business Plan, third place
  Retail Merchandising, third place

• Saylor Gallagher
  Innovation Plan, third place

• Mahir Hachi
  Start-Up Business Plan, second place
  Quick Serve Restaurant Management, second place

• Mason Hutchinson
  Innovation Plan, third place

• Nicholas Martin 
  Quick Serve Restaurant Management, second place
  Innovation Plan, fourth place

• Tyler Merrell
  Innovation Plan, second place
  Retail Merchandising, first place

• Gabe Mullen 
  Buying and Merchandising Ops Research Event, first place

• Sergio Perez
  Start-Up Business Plan, second place

• Morgan Petermann
  Start-Up Business Plan, first place
  Restaurant and Food Service Management second place

• Jazmen Phanovoung
  Start-Up Business Plan, first place
  Personal Financial Literacy, first place

• Sydney Thomas
  Buying & Merchandising Ops Research Event, first place

• Kristian Thompson
  Innovation Plan, second place
  Quick Serve Restaurant Management, fourth place

• Bella Woo
  Hotel and Lodging Management Series, first place
  Hospitality and Tourism Professional Selling Event, second place

• Maxwell Woodbury 
  Innovation Plan, fourth place

• Matthew Yang
  Start-Up Business Plan, second place

• Ben Zastrow
  Integrated Marketing Campaign - Product, first place

• Jack Zupfer 
  Integrated Marketing Campaign - Product, first place
  Restaurant and Food Service Management, third place