Mark Weimer, technology education teacher at Apollo High School, comes from a family of teachers, the majority of them teaching math and English. However, growing up, becoming a high school teacher was the furthest thing from his mind. Weimer’s father, a previous industrial arts teacher, became his math teacher in seventh grade. “He [my dad] would … Read more
“If you can’t help someone, then don’t hurt [hinder] them,” says Ahmed Abdi, lead bilingual communication support specialist (BCSS) at St. Cloud Area School District 742. It is a motto that Abdi has lived by, a philosophy instilled in him by his father. Abdi was born in Somalia but grew up in Kenya due to … Read more
McKinley-ALC students gather in the early morning at the St. Cloud Veterans Hospital sporting their volunteer shirts and name tags. They venture to the Veterans Affairs Hospital (VA) twice a month to reconnect with veterans, some whom they now call friends. Kathy Lyerly and Mike Myers-Schleif, McKinley service learning project supervisors, await the students. They laugh … Read more
Fall is in the air. George Bienusa, physical education teacher, doesn’t mind the crisp bite of the air. Mornings at Clearview Elementary School are both chilly and bright as students walk 20 minutes outside every morning before school starts. They get a jump start on the day through their new grant program, “Morning Mile.” Last year, … Read more
Her journey home has been a long one. It began in Somalia with her parents and six siblings. She does not have many memories of that early life, but remembers life was good until civil war broke out when she was three years old. Her parents fled with their family to a refugee camp in … Read more