Ellie Kasella and Alana Rocheleau have been chosen as the May 2024 students of the month at Pierz Healy High School. They were chosen by the faculty commit-tee at Pierz Healy High School, recognizing their high academic standards, leader-ship qualities and participation in extracurricular activities.
Ellie Kasella
Ellie Kasella is the daughter of Luke and Melissa Kasella. She has four siblings: Abby Kasella, Chloe Walcheski, Levi Kasella, and Brent Schilling.
Active in high school extracurriculars, Lily has been involved in WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) and is the secretary of the Spanish Club.
Her favorite activity is Spanish Club.
“I’ve learned a lot about different cultures and tried new foods,” Ellie said of her
Ellie’s most memorable school experience has been a trip with friends.
“My friends and I went to the Cities to try new foods and go shopping together,” she said.
Ellies’s teacher, Marcus Artner, is her role model.
“My role model in school is Mr. Artner because he’s taught me a lot about math and made it easier to understand and learn. It has made me a lot less scared to learn new math concepts, make mistakes, and ask for help,” Ellie said.
Who would Ellie most like to meet?
“If I could meet anyone in the world I would meet Kurt Cobain. Nirvana is one of my and my mom’s favorite bands. I would love to have been able to go to one of their concerts and meet their lead singer and main songwriter,” she said.
Ellie says her greatest accomplishment is related to math.
“My greatest accomplishment was getting only one wrong on my precalculus final,” she said.
When asked how her friends would describe her, Ellie said, “My friends would describe me as funny and smart .”
She plans to attend the University of Minnesota: Twin Cities for accounting. She also plans to get a part-time job as a barista.
“Ellie is an outstanding student and person. In class she is intelligent and pairs that with a great work ethic and a positive attitude. She is a kind person and is always willing to help others. She is a great role model for other students and a true example of what it means to be a Pioneer, ” said math teacher Marcus Artner.
Alana Rocheleau
Alana Rocheleau is the daughter of Dan and Kim Rocheleau. She has two older siblings, Amaya and Preston.
Active in high school extracurriculars, Alana has been involved in The Minnesota Honor Society, Peer Helping, EPIC, Big Brothers Big Sisters, WEB, Youth Group at St. Joseph’s Parish, and Volleyball.
Her favorite activity is Big Brothers Big Sisters.
“It is so fun meeting with my little every week and getting to form a relationship that is safe and comfortable,” Alana said.
Alana’s most memorable experience has been time spent with sports and school activities.
“My most memorable experience in high school is being so involved with sports and other activities. Throughout all of the sports I participate/participated in, I have met some of my best friends and so many others that have made my experience in high school so great,” she said.
Alana’s sister, Amaya is her role model.
“She is constantly trying to be the best version of herself, mentally and physically. She also has always been someone I can lean on when I am struggling with absolutely anything,” she said.
If Alana could meet anyone, it would be a celebrity television dancer.
“I would love to meet Rylee Arnold from Dancing With The Stars. I am constantly looking at her posts and her dance videos. She seems like a super bubbly and fun person,” she said.
When asked what her greatest accomplishment is, Alana replied, “My greatest accomplishment throughout high school has been keeping up with my grades and GPA while being involved in many activities and balancing work,” she said.
After high school, she plans to attend Bemidji State University to pursue a degree in nursing, with a minor in psychology. Later down the road, I hope to become an aesthetic injector nurse.
“Alana has consistently shown her drive to become the most successful student she can be”, said teacher and coach Steph Andres.
“She has done an amazing job maintaining stellar grades even while taking some of the hardest classes we have to offer. Not only does she excel academically, earning top grades and honors, but has also poured her heart into extracurricular activities throughout our school. She is kind and compassionate and willing to go above and beyond for those around her,” Andres said.
Congratulations Alana, your hard work and dedication have paid off and you should be incredibly proud of all that you’ve accomplished. The future is bright, and I can’t wait to see what you’ll achieve next. Keep shining, and know that we are here for you always,” concluded Andres.
Local News
Comments / 0