News from Como Park High School

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Above: Students and staff gathered on the turf to observe school leaders and representatives from the Minnesota Vikings officially cut the ribbon at the conclusion of the ceremony. (Photo provided)

Compiled by ERIC ERICKSON, Social Studies Teacher

• After years of hope, anticipation over the summer, and a couple months of frustration, the state-of-the-art synthetic turf field at Como Park High School finally opened up for business. Gym classes, soccer teams, and football all started using the new green space on Oct. 7. The girls’ and boys’ varsity soccer teams earned home playoff games, which gave each team the chance to play one game this season on the new turf. Both teams came through with convincing shut-out victories in the inaugural games on Oct. 10 and 12.

The official ribbon cutting ceremony and dedication of the field occurred on Oct. 18 at the end of the school day as the MEA weekend commenced. On a bright, sunshiny day, students, staff, local government officials, and representatives from the Minnesota Vikings gathered outside and watched the processional (photo right provided) of Como student-athletes, marching band and MJROTC cadets around the track. Speakers then shared remarks, and former Viking E.J. Henderson, who currently serves as the team’s Youth Football Manager presented the big ceremonial check to Como for its NFL grant that helped secure the funding for the field.

• On Oct. 27, the first varsity football game ever to be held on the campus of Como Park High School was a Cougars playoff game that the team earned with its strong regular-season record of 6-2. The senior leadership that brought the team so much success was able to have one game on the turf and make a memorable connection with the field forever. The result was a hard-fought loss to highly-regarded De La Salle, but the experience will not be forgotten, especially with the added element of a snow-covered field from the previous day’s storm.

• All 330 Academy of Finance (AOF) students in grades 9-12 will be participating in the Wells Fargo corporate visit to Como on Nov. 16. Volunteers and mentors from Wells Fargo will lead the AOF students in small group discussions, conduct mock interviews, provide instruction on resume building, cover letters, and job applications. There will also be a guest speaker to present a financial literacy lesson and take student-generated questions about Wells Fargo’s business lines and programs.

• The annual Close Up trip to Washington D.C. is scheduled for the first week of March, but fundraising is already in full swing. Students from AP Government classes will be bagging groceries for customers at the Roseville Cub Foods on Larpenteur from 4-8pm on Tues., Nov. 21 before Thanksgiving. Cub customers generously support the effort of the students with donations that help defray the expense of the educational adventure. Three other full days of grocery bagging for the Close Up students are also scheduled for December during winter break. Community members interested in financially supporting the students can also contact the trip coordinator at eric.erickson@spps.org.

• Como Park High School’s Advanced Placement (AP) Night is Mon., Nov. 27 from 6-7:30pm. AP Night is an opportunity for prospective students and their families to learn more about Como’s AP program from staff, parents, and a student panel. Middle school students and families interested in learning more about Como’s award-winning AP college prep curriculum will be able to visit with current AP students and teachers and ask questions about the AP experience. The event will take place in the school library, and refreshments will be provided. No reservation is required, but any questions can be directed to Como’s AP Coordinator Molly McCurdy Yates at 651-744-5354.

• Level 2 and 3 ELL students at Como collected $500 in relief money for victimized families of the bombings in Mogadishu. Hussein Mohamed, a former Como ELL student, who now provides educational support at Como through the Sanneh Foundation, will be wiring the collection directly to an aid agency in Somalia. Many Como students had family members directly impacted by the bombing. The outpouring of support from all students, regardless of religion or race, was inspirational. “No matter how bleak the world looks some days, we teachers are so fortunate to be surrounded by such great examples of what it really means to be human,” said ELL teacher Suzanne Susens.

• Construction on the building’s new addition continues to progress. Steel beams are now two-stories high in the space south of the building toward the railroad tracks. Work crews are busy all day and manage the project so that the loudest, most intensive structural assembly adjacent to the existing walls is completed after the official school day ends at 2pm. Staff with classrooms near the construction have been making accommodations to provide their after-school help to students, and do their grading and preparation in alternative locations away from the noise.

• “Give to the Max” is back again in 2017 and is running through Nov. 16! The Como Park Booster Club is encouraging the community to “boost” the wide array of extracurricular activities, athletics, and clubs that expand student opportunities and experiences at Como. Please give generously to help support our Como students at givemn.org/organization/comoparkboosterclub.

Thanks to previous donations, the Booster Club has supported activities in the past year including 19 grants for Como activities including Band, Technovation Apps Club, ELL, Boys Soccer, Soccer Stars, Dare2BeReal Advisors, Student Council, AVID, Choir, Big Brother Big Sister, Cougar Journal, Girls Soccer, Culinary Arts, Health Office, Counseling, Prom, and the Senior Class Barbeque.

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