News from Como Park High School

Compiled by ERIC ERICKSON, Social Studies Teacher

• Students in Como Park’s Academy of Finance (AOF) program are supplementing their classroom curriculum with opportunities and experiences in the local business community.

On Oct. 12, 75 sophomores learned about products and services with a hands-on site visit to Uponor, a company specializing in water, heating, cooling and plumbing infrastructure.

Photo right: Some of the 75 sophomores in Como’s Academy of Finance who visited Uponor’s training facility for a hands-on site visit in October. (Photo by Kris Sommerville)

Sixty AOF juniors visited three marketing firms in Minneapolis, coordinated by BrandLab, on Oct. 23. BrandLab’s mission is to expose high school students to the marketing industry and provide access through experiential visits and paid internships.

Ninety AOF seniors took a field trip to Travelers’ corporate headquarters in downtown St. Paul on Nov. 2, continuing relationships with mentors and participating in simulations and informational sessions.

All 370 Academy of Finance students in grades 9-12 will be participating in the Wells Fargo corporate visit to Como Park High School on Nov. 15. 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 actual case studies from Wells Fargo that students will work through, followed by the presentations of their solutions.

• 905 Como students cast votes in the state-wide “Students Vote” election for Governor sponsored by the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office. AP Government and Politics students monitored and facilitated an election in which all Como students had the opportunity to practice voting procedure in our democracy. A precinct was set up in the Como Auditorium, complete with voting booths to add authenticity. (Photo left by Eric Erickson) Como’s results were reported to the state where they were tabulated along with other participating schools, creating interesting data for classroom analysis.

• Building on the student election experience at school, 30 Como students served as Ramsey County election judges in the Nov. 6 election. The non-partisan service to the community was an excellent opportunity to promote the democratic process and see first-hand how elections are conducted. Students received training before the election and then worked alongside experienced judges at precinct sites around the city.

• The annual Close Up trip to Washington D.C. is on the calendar for the first week of March, but the fundraising season is already here for the students from AP Government classes who are working to get there.

All community members who enjoy an occasional meal at Chipotle are invited and encouraged to dine-in or take-out from the Rosedale Chipotle on Mon., Nov. 19, 4-8pm. If customers tell the cashier they are supporting the Como Park Close Up Trip, 33% of the order price will go to support Como’s annual field trip to Washington D.C. and help students participate in the national Close Up program.

The students will be bagging groceries for customers at the Maplewood Cub Foods on Rice St. and County Road B from 10am to 8pm on Sat., Dec. 22. Donations from Cub customers help students defray the expense of the educational adventure. The new location in Maplewood this year is due to the limited opportunity at the Larpenteur Ave. store. Community members interested in financially supporting students in the Close Up Washington D.C. program can also contact the trip coordinator at eric.erickson@spps.org.

• Culinary Arts students that have gone above and beyond coursework to join the Como Culinary Club were selected to be part of an event at the W Hotel in downtown Minneapolis on Sun., Nove. 11. Como is one of nine schools in the state to be chosen for the “Stars of the Future” fundraiser.

Stars of the Future pairs local chefs with high school students to create a “small plate” for the event at the hotel. Como’s participants were mentored by chefs from the St. Paul RiverCentre’s MHC Culinary Group. They worked together to prepare a chicken steam bun. Event proceeds will go toward providing support for high school students interested in the Culinary industry.

• Como Park High School’s AP / CIS Night (Advanced Placement / College in the Schools) is Thur., Nov. 29, 6:30-7:45pm. AP / CIS Night is an opportunity for prospective students and their families to learn more about Como’s accelerated, advanced placement, and college course offerings from staff, parents, and a student panel. Middle school students and families interested in learning more about Como’s programming, curriculum, and opportunities will be able to visit with current AP and CIS students and teachers and ask questions about their experiences. 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 Teng Lo (teng.lo@spps.org) or Como Principal Stacy Theien-Collins (stacy.theien-collins@spps.org).

• Como’s Theatre and Music Department featuring the Chamber Singers and Concert Choir is presenting the annual fall musical in the Como Auditorium on Thur. and Fri., Nov. 8-9, at 7pm both nights. This year’s show is “The Tempest,” adapted from Shakespeare by Nick Perrin and Ruth Kenward. Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for students and senior citizens, and can be purchased at the door.

• Como BEASTbot Robotics had a great showing at the Roseville MRI Robotics Invitational with their competition robot named Sketch-E. They scored hundreds of points and competed strongly against some of the best robots in the state, barely missing the finals. The whole team has high hopes for a strong year when the new build season and competition officially fires up in January. In the meantime, team members meet on Thursdays after school for technical training, research, and marketing ideas. The team’s website is beastbot2855.com.