Carissa Hopkins-Hoel 
Back in 2017, Partner for Student Success (PFSS) facilitated a community-wide team, led by the SEARCH Institute to develop a strategic plan for student success in the St. Cloud Area. The work, over time, adjusted according to findings, continued development of the network and gathered information. As a result, in 2019, St. Cloud Area School … Read more
David Martini, Apollo High School graduate of 1989, says if you want to help people, become an engineer. Martini was recently named Engineer of the Year from the Minnesota Society of Professional Engineers (MnSPE) and it’s an accomplishment he’s been building toward his entire career. He believes civil engineering is one of the most rewarding … Read more
If anyone can relate to Matilda Wormwood, it’s Izzy Neisen, a Kennedy Community School fifth grader. Izzy is an avid reader just like Matilda, the eponymous character in Roald Dahl’s famous book, as she discovered while auditioning for the lead role in Great Theatre‘s production of “Matilda.” Izzy has been doing theater camps since she … Read more
Tech High School counselor, Erin Bloch, always had psychology in mind when she attended college, working full-time as a paraprofessional during the day at an elementary school and attending classes at night. Working with students day-to-day, however, made her rethink her direction of psychology. “[I started] looking at different careers and different areas where I … Read more
Students with special needs are acquiring new skills to ready themselves for the workforce after high school thanks to the new PAES (Practical Assessment Exploration System) Lab at Apollo and Tech High Schools. The lab is a simulated work environment where students can explore interests and discover strengths. “There are five different areas that PAES … Read more