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ISD 728 High Schools Name Triple 'A,' Athena, ExCEL Award Winners

A young woman in a black hockey jersey with "Two Brothers Hockey" on it smiles while kneeling on the ice, with other players in the background.

ISD 728's three traditional high schools, each year, select a handful of students to be recognized by the Minnesota State High School League and its affiliates for the AAA, Athena, and ExCEL Awards. 

The finalists from each school were named throughout the winter sports season, and were recognized at various tournaments and events as the winter activities season came to a close. 

Here's a look. 

ExCEL Award

The ExCEL Award – Excellence in Community, Education and Leadership – is a unique recognition program designed exclusively for Minnesota high school juniors who are active in school activities, leaders in their schools, and who demonstrate a strong commitment to community service. This award is sponsored by the League's corporate partner, Wells Fargo. 

Nomination Criteria 

  • Every League member school is invited to nominate one girl and one boy for the ExCEL Award. Nominees must:
  • Be a junior in high school
  • Make satisfactory progress toward graduation
  • Participate in an MSHSL fine arts and/or athletic activity
  • Hold a leadership position(s) in their school
  • Volunteer in their community
  • Meet MSHSL General Eligibility Requirements (Bylaw 206)
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Selection Process

The ExCEL Award recipients were selected by an independent panel of judges from schools throughout Minnesota. Award recipients will be announced via the League website on February 1, 2024.

ExCEL Recognition

  • Each recipient was recognized on 45TV during the broadcast of the 2024 winter tournaments. They also participated in an on-court award ceremony during the Class AA championship game of the Girls Basketball State Tournament in March.

From Zimmerman High: 

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A young man with curly brown hair smiles broadly in the foreground, set against a mottled gray background.

Daisy Kuss and Logan Schwinghamer*

Note: Logan was selected as Regional male recipient and was recognized at the on-court ceremony. 

From Rogers High School 

A smiling young woman with blonde hair is in the foreground, with a gray, textured background behind her.
A young man with light brown hair and a grey t-shirt smiles at the camera against a mottled grey background.

Anya Schmidt and Tyler Kiel

From Elk River High School 

A young man with light brown hair and blue eyes, wearing a black and red hockey jersey, is pictured against a dark, blurred background.
A young woman with blonde hair and a pearl necklace smiles in the foreground against a gray, textured background.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Owen Westberg and Ally Rekstad
 

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Triple 'A' Award Winners

The Academics, Arts, and Athletics Award, commonly known as the Triple 'A' Award, honors high school seniors throughout the state who have a 3.0 or higher-grade point average and who participate in League-sponsored athletic and fine arts activities. This award is sponsored by M Health Fairview and the Institute for Athletic Medicine. 

  • To be eligible for the Academics, Arts, and Athletics Award, a student must:

  • Be a high school senior at the time of nomination. Schools may nominate one senior boy and one senior girl for this award.
  • Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher at the time of nomination.
  • Participate in at least one League-sponsored athletic program and one arts/activity program.
  • Comply with the MSHSL's Student Code of Conduct 
  • Complete the application form and submit it to the administrative region secretary by the deadline specified by the region committee

From Zimmerman High School

A smiling young girl with long brown hair and a tan turtleneck sweater is pictured against a mottled blue background.
A young man with a bright smile and a plaid shirt is pictured against a blue, textured background.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arabelle Rohs and Tucsen Roman 

From Rogers High School

A young man with dark, wavy hair and a wide smile is pictured in the foreground, with a mottled gray background behind him.
A young woman with long blonde hair and a white t-shirt smiles in front of a blue, mottled background.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Willie Campbell and Justyce Ohlgren

From Elk River High School 

A young person with short, light brown hair and a light green shirt smiles slightly in front of a mottled gray background.
A young man with curly blonde hair and a gray collared shirt smiles in front of a mottled gray background.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Addison Brandt and Sawyer Rueckert

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Athena Awards

The Athena Award is awarded to the “outstanding senior female athlete” in each school.  The award is based on excellence in individual sports or for participation and accomplishments in team sports.

Zimmerman High School is proud to announce that Senior Emily Baker has been named as Zimmerman’s Athena Award Winner in the 2023-2024 school year. Congratulations,  Emily Baker!

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Elk River High School announced that Senior Carly Humphrey is its Athena Award winner for 2023-2024. Carly is a future Gopher women's hockey player, and was prophiled by CBS affiliate WCCO earlier this season. She's also an accomplished artist, showing pieces at the Northwestern High School Art Show Awards at North Hennepin Community College earlier this year. 

A smiling young woman in a black and red hockey jersey stands in front of a dark background, leaning on a hockey net.
A young woman in a black hockey jersey with %22Two Brothers Hockey%22 on it smiles while kneeling on the ice, with other players in the background.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rogers High School announced Sophie Mahnke as its 2024 awardee. Sophie is active in diving, gymnastics and track and field events. She is a 12-time letter winner, and was captain of both the diving team and gymnastics squads for the Royals. Qualifying for state in 2024, she was the first Royal to make it to St. Paul since 2017. She also has top three scores in diving and in high jump in the 20-year history of RHS.  

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