Posted: 4/9/03

FLHS studentsí art talent recognized

Berk Brown

Staff Writer

Maria Kaiser doesnít mean to brag, but she would be the first person to tell you how many talented artists there are at Forest Lake Senior High.

Kaiser and the rest of the department have every reason to brag about their students based on the results of the Section 7AA Visual Arts Competition which was conducted recently in Forest Lake.

Students for Forest Lake took first place in four of the six categories.

ìWe think we have some very talented kids,î Kaiser said. ìWe push our kids, but weíve got a lot of talented kids.î

Section 7AA is comprised of 14 schools, including other local schools such as Cambridge-Isanti, Chisago Lakes, North Branch, Princeton, St. Francis and several Iron Range schools.

This was the second year for the Minnesota State High School League sponsored showcase and both years it has been conducted in Forest Lake.

This year, the home school took home four first-place awards.

Jason Geving, a junior, took first place in both painting and Best of Show.

Bud Rodecker, a senior, took home first place honors in ceramics while senior Jaclyn Larson was first in sculpture and Megan Hassler, also a senior, was first in mixed medium.

Senior Doug Joyer earned an honorable mention in digital photography.

The contest was judged by art professionals from around the Twin Cities. It also gives some hard-working and talented students an outlet to showcase their talents, Kaiser said.

ìA lot of kids who arenít in the arts donít realize the talent that is in the school,î she said. ìSeeing this makes a lot of them realize we have talented kids.

ìWe do have some really cool stuff.î

Another really cool project from the art department is hard to miss at Pierz Marine in Forest Lake.

The business recently asked the Art Club to paint a mural on one of its walls.

Geving, seniors Cory Regnier and Kim Kolar and junior Madeline Baatz ñÝalong with Kaiser herself ñÝrecently completed the project.

ìI think it is good PR for the business and for the kids,î Kaiser said. ìItís a great thing to be able to say that for your community you painted a mural. Not many people get an opportunity to do that.î

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