Eva Austin is a junior at Lac Qui Parle High School. Eva performs as a poppy in theater, in the production of The Wizard of Oz. Eva writes a lot, during middle school, Eva had written papers to be submitted into a small writing competition. Eva won two awards for winning the written competition twice in a row. 

Eva was born in St. Cloud and lived there until she turned 8, from there Eva started moving around until she turned 11. Eva started living in Marshall MN while being 11, Eva then went on to live there for 4 years before moving to Madison MN.

Alexis Bendel was born in Madison, MN, and now lives over by Dawson, MN. She graduates high school in 2026, and plans to attend college in Maplewood, MN, to become an esthetician. In college, Alexis wants to specialize in spa esthetics, hair removal, lash and brow artistry, and advanced skincare. She’s going on her fourth year of working at Detoys in Madison as a waitress and ends up working 25–40 hours twice a month willingly to save for her future. Alexis danced all the way back in kindergarten up until her freshman year of high school. She ended up making Shadow's Dance Team two years in a row, then started working at Detoys and didn’t make the time to practice at home, due to prioritizing work.

Alexis has taken Academic Writing (college credit) and Public Speaking (high school credit) already in past years. Currently, she’s currently taking the classes Digital Writing (high school credit) and Human Diversity Literature (college credit). In Academic Writing, the teacher explained the criteria in depth, which helped her learn how to write an essay so much easier, making Academic Writing her favorite class out of the four. The college classes prepared Alexis for college in the future, learning to become more independent, and writing in general.

Alexis and her sister, Taylynn, grew up inseparable. She enjoys the outdoors with her and riding a four-wheeler or dirt bike. When she’s by herself, Alexis loves to drive her Mustang, especially in a snowy, empty parking lot. She also developed a soft spot for animals and loves taking care of them, as well as owning many growing up. When Alexis isn’t outside, she’s either cleaning the house or watching TV. She enjoys Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries, One Tree Hill, Gossip Girl, and other supernatural type of shows.

Riley Bormann grew up in a small town in southwest Minnesota, working on and off the farm. He grew up with one older sister. He grew up around animals like cats, dogs, and cattle. In school, gotten B honor roll most years, and lettered in track and football. Hobbies include racing, hunting, and fishing.

  Currently juinor in high school with plans to go to college for electronics. Has plans to take over the family farm and start an electrician business with a focus on dryer bins and grain bins. Planning on getting his journeyman in sd and working and living in the Watertown area. Until he gets his  journeyman,with plans to move back to Minnesota.  

Rya Borstad is a senior at Lac qui Parle Valley High School and plans to pursue a degree in nursing after high school. She currently works as a CNA at Appleton Area Health Hospital, where she has gained hands-on experience with patient care. During the summer, she is the manager at Appleton Aquatic Center, where she has strengthened her leadership roles and developed a strong sense of responsibility and communication skills. 

While in high school, she has been actively involved in tennis, basketball, softball, Student Council, Asset Builders, Sparkle Club, and yearbook. Through her involvement in both athletics and school organizations, she has become more socially involved and developed strong-time management skills. She has also represented her hometown as Appleton Ambassador, participating in parades and community events. 

Borstad has lived in Appleton her entire life with her younger brother Harris, a sophomore, and her sister, Harlen, a seventh grader. Growing up in a small community has strengthened her desire to stay close with family and community members. Outside of school and work, she enjoys spending her weekends at the lake with her family, sewing with her grandma and cousin, coloring, working out, going on walks, bonfires with friends, small crafts, swimming, tanning, and making fun soda drinks.

Dusty Clayton is a junior at Lac qui Parle Valley High School. She is a member of the FFA chapter at Lac qui Parle Valley, where she serves as a part of the officer team as the Secretary (2024-2025) and the Reporter (2023-2024). Dusty is a strong member of the FFA, competing in contests, helping with fundraisers, and serving the community. She was 1st in the FFA region in 2025 for Prepared Public Speaking, qualifying for the state Leadership Development Contest. 

  Dusty lives in Madison, Minnesota. She has two siblings, who are also students at LQPV. She was born in Western Pennsylvania. During her 6th grade year of middle school, her family moved to Minnesota, where they currently live. After high school, she plans to attend the University of Wisconsin River Falls, to pursue a career in agricultural politics and journalism. 

I was born in Canby, Minnesota in 2008.  I have lived in Madison, Minnesota for 16 years.  I have one sister and 6 brothers.  I am the middle child, number two out of the seven siblings.  

I got my job at Casey’s when I was 17.  I have been working there for one month.  My jobs are to make pizza, clean the kitchen, and take the trash out.  I like working there because the people I work with are nice.   

I started going to school at Lac qui Parle in November of 2025, my 11th grade year.  It’s a nice school, students friendly, and teachers and paras are helpful. 

Kason Heinecke grew up north of Appleton, MN, working with his dad and uncle in  the family-owned repair shop. He grew up with one younger brother. He grew up around anything with a motor that goes fast. He grew up with 2 dogs, Kona and Kinder. In school, he maintained a B-honour roll status and lettered in football and baseball.

Currently, he’s in high school, planning to attend Lake Area Technical College for diesel mechanics. He plans to follow in his father's footsteps and take over the family business. On the side, he has a couple of side businesses, including Prairie West sales and service, which entails selling golf carts, owning and operating a campground, and providing snow removal services. His favorite hobbies are demo derby, snowmobile, and surfing. He enjoys fishing and hunting in his free time. 

In Gustav's life he has got a bunch of achievements. Such as he has played a big part in leading MBA Storm team to state for hockey as a leader. Gustav has been the student advisor for ffa and helped with a bunch of activities and adventures, to play a role as an advisor and to help his team expand and be better as a group and make the members happy. Gustav has won some awards such as most improved player in hockey, Lettered in football for three years, Lettered in hockey for two years, been student of the week, and FFA member of the month. Some hobbies Gustav likes hanging out with friends, family, being outdoors, and being with his best friend.

Gustav has lived in two states north dakota and minnesota but in those places He has lived in many different homes he has lived in two different homes in Benson, Gustav lived in appleton,three homes in warroad and lived in Fargo. Gustav was born in Thef River Falls, on December 12 2008. Gustav never started school till first grade because of his family moving so much but in the end they found the place they love, the place where they want to spend their life. He has a wonderful family like his sister, his mom and dad. They have taught Gustav so much on how to be a better person and what real love feels like and Gustav is so grateful for them and he is even more proud to call them his family. In Gustav's future he wants to go into athletic training. 

Gustav has got to where he is today by the hard paths in life by learning not to take people for granted. You never know when people will pass and leave you when you are least expecting it. So you have to take every opportunity with grace and all of your effort and to have fun and live as you want every day. 

About

Malcolm Lillejord is from Madison, MN, and was born on March 16, 2007, and he is currently attending Lac qui Parle Valley High School. And I will be going to Minnesota West Technical College in the upcoming summer. He has loved to play sports and do anything that includes the outdoors since he was young. He also enjoys almost any kind of hunting you can think of.  Malcolm also has an older brother who is ten years older than him and a niece who is six.

Achievements 

Some achievements Malcolm has made in his life are that he has made several on a roll in his time at LQPV High School and still has time to make more in his last year. He's also had a pretty successful time in baseball, with his team going to state his sophomore year. When Malcolm was a kid in 7th or 8th grade, he got 2nd in a big baseball tournament. Now he has been accepted into Minnesota West to go to college to be a lineman when he gets older.    

I am a student at lqpv highschool in Madison Minnesota. The school isn't in Madison but that's where I live. It's a town not too far from the school and multiple different towns go to this school. I'm a junior and I'm in my second semester of the year and I'd say my grades are average. Honestly I can't wait to graduate not because I want to be an adult. I wish I was still a kid but I can't wait to get out of this school.

I like mechanics and anything to do with cars. I want to become a technician for auto body on cars because I would like to weld. I've always loved cars and I fell in love with welding about two years ago so I'd like to put them together. I love mechanics and I would like to be a mechanic but I would like to work on the body of the car. I also just want to get better at welding and fixing the body of the car.

I have a truck that I got not too long ago so it's new to me. I love my truck and there's so many things I want to do with it. It's not too rusty but its got a bit so I could work on restoring that. I also want to turbo the engine because the engine it has can handle a lot of boost. The thing I really want to do though is get it new wheels and suspension. That would make my truck perfect.

I have lived outside of Holloway in the country my whole life. I live with my parents and my two brothers, and I’m the youngest. I help my grandpa with his cows, which has taught me responsibility and patience. I also work for my dad’s construction company and am a senior at LQPV.

As a writer, I’ve written three essays about whether video games are healthy or not. These essays helped me write better and learn how to find credible sources. Overall, I have grown as a writer and feel more confident in my skills.

Aiden Ramsbacher is the youngest sibling in his family, with one sister and brother. He lived in Menahga, MN, for his first seven years, then moved to Appleton, MN. He is now a high school student at Lac qui Parle Valley in his senior year and has taken academic writing for college credit.

Some of Aiden Ramsbacher's interests are history and how everyday objects work. He enjoys learning about how wars were fought and countries changed over time. He also enjoys learning about how everyday objects work and are made.

Brandt is a student at Lac Qui Parle Valley with experience in hard work and the outdoors. When not writing, he enjoys playing sports, hunting and fishing, and working out. When Brandt’s not doing any of those, he’s usually working concrete or working on vehicles. Brandt frequently spends his nights after supper either watching a movie or playing video games with his friends.

As much as Brandt loved playing sports, he had been through 2 shoulder surgeries on the same shoulder. Having 2 shoulder surgeries took him out of football his junior and senior year. Brandt is also lifeguard certified so he can save lives pretty well.

Nolan Smith is a high school senior at Lac qui Parle Valley supporting the athletic teams by being a captain for all 3 of his sports, currently planning on attending Ridgewater College in Willmar, MN, to learn to be an electrician and continue playing baseball. He was a part of a state baseball run when he was a sophomore. Before moving here, he lived in Maple Lake, MN.  

I am Jayden.I am from Appleton mn,born 4/17/09.I like to ride dirtbikes,hangout with friends.I used to go to the weight room but then I stopped because the gym here isnt that good and before I got my license I had to sit and wait for the practice bus.

I was never into sports or anything like that. I also enjoy being in the garage working on cars and stuff like that.This summer I would like to try to get a start on getting my pilots license.I also like to be around airplanes and that's what I spend most of the summer doing.

Elias Alonso, a student writer from an immigrant family, grew up on a small farm outside of Milan, MN. Growing up in an immigrant family influenced his perspective on discipline, responsibility, and opportunity. He currently ranks 6th out of 45 students in his class and awarded an all-academic district award in football. Elias partakes in football, basketball, men's volleyball, and NHS. 

Outside the classroom, Elias’s values circle around altruism. As a captain of the basketball team, he emphasizes responsibility, accountability, and teamwork. He enjoys exploring new challenges and ideas. In the summer, Elias helps his father with rock picking and works part-time at Walmart. 

After high school, Elias plans to attend Minnesota State University Moorhead to study accounting and participate in the Honors Program. He hopes to continue developing his learning and fulfill his values of altruism by giving back to his community and family. 

Abigail grew up in Madison, Minnesota, where her parents, Joshuah Amland and Angela Ransom, raised her. She has two older brothers, Carter and August. Abbie enjoyed a wonderful childhood filled with outdoor adventures and family trips. As a child, she showed a bubbly, silly personality and loved to sing and dance. Throughout childhood, Abbie participated in dance, basketball, and softball, always eager to learn new things and stay busy.

Now a senior at Lac qui Parle Valley, Abigail participates in volleyball, softball, band, the school musical, Agape, Student Council, Asset Builders, and Sparkle Club. Outside of school, Abbie enjoys outdoor activities, spending time with friends, baking, exercising, and watching movies.

Abigail plans to attend Western Dakota Technical College in Rapid City, South Dakota, where she will pursue a degree in nursing.  Because of her love for the outdoors, Rapid City offers the ideal setting for college. The Black Hills provide a wide range of opportunities where she can truly thrive. The Black Hills offer a wide range of opportunities, providing an environment in which she can truly thrive. Abigail loves to travel and aims to visit as many destinations as possible. She hopes to build a family and live her life to the fullest.

Aidenn Bendel-Paulson is a junior who recently transferred to La Qui Parle High School, bringing a deep passion for art and science with her. Inspired by her grandma, who’s former head graphic designer at MSUM, Aidenn grew up immersed in paints, charcoals, and more types of paper than one can fathom. This not only developed artistic skills but also patience and discipline. She’s won two painting awards and multiple pieces displayed, one being at NDSU. Outside of school, she expresses her creativity through baking, sewing, and photography. 

Along with art, she has a strong love for astronomy which she wishes to pursue after graduation.  Looking forward, Aidenn plans to move to Europe for college and expand her knowledge on the universe. Her main goal is working at NASA someday, with an alternative path being science engineering. She describes herself as open-minded and determined when she sets her mind to something, and prefers to take things at her own pace while figuring out where life takes her.

Caleigh grew up in Appleton, Minnesota, and she’s the second youngest of four children. Her three brothers are Maverick, Hunter, and Hudson. Caleigh attended Appleton Milan Elementary School until fourth grade, when she transitioned to the middle/high school for fifth grade at Lac qui Parle Valley, where she is still attending today. 

Caleigh Conn is currently a senior at Lac qui Parle Valley High School. Caleigh received  both the Excel Award her junior year and the Triple A Award her senior year for LQPVHS. Last year, she took college-level classes in high-school through Southwest Minnesota State University. The classes she took include academic writing, speech, psychology, and sociology. The classes she’s involved in currently include Human Diversity and Lit and Precalculus. Caleigh is involved in student council (president), National Honors Society (historian), band (section leader), choir, volleyball (captain), basketball (captain), and softball. Outside of school, Caleigh’s community activities include St. John’s Catholic Church as a religious education teacher and various community organizations.

Next year Caleigh plans to attend Southwest Minnesota State University to further her education. She plans to get a degree in elementary education and a coaching minor. While  attending SMSU, she also plans to participate in choir. 

Molly Halvorson is a senior at Lac qui Parle Valley High School, where she is involved in many demanding commitments, including college level classes, National Honor Society, yearbook committee, shadows dance team, golf, and tennis. Outside of school activities, she is involved in Valley Dance District and church groups. She was born in Canby, Minnesota, but grew up in Madison, Minnesota, on a farm for her first few years with her two sisters, Rachel and Sarah, and her brother Derek. She spent her days climbing trees, making forts, reading, pestering her siblings, spending time helping her dad around the farm, and helping her mom in their garden. Her dad taught her how to swing a golf club, and she began hitting golf balls into their field, where she quickly fell in love with the game. When the time came to attend school, she spent her days at Little Blessings pre-school, followed by 4-year-old pre-school, and then elementary school, where she met some of her lifelong friends and learned the reward of working hard at school. When she was about a middle schooler, she moved to the city and attended Lac qui Parle Valley High School where she continued to play golf and picked up dance and tennis. Through sports and working hard at school, she developed a strong work ethic and a desire to succeed. Her hard work led her to achieve many honorable academic achievements, such as A honor rolls, Academic All-Conference, and Academic All-State. Through earning a strong GPA and background in golf, she decided to pursue golfing in college, where she chose to accept an offer from the University of Sioux Falls.

Today, she attends high school classes every day, gaining experience as a leader in group projects and managing deadlines while balancing athletics and club activities on the side. Her busy schedule teaches her how to use her time wisely and fulfil every commitment to the best of her ability. She is still living in Madison, Minnesota, as a committed community member and Ambassador representing her community. She still loves to attend school and learn new concepts and ideas every day, truly shaping her into the person she is. 

Next year, she will attend college at the University of Sioux Falls, where she plans to major in accounting and take part in several clubs to make new friends, build relationships, and learn more about life. 

Garrett attends LQPV as a senior, last year he took both academic writing and speech for college credit. Garrett was born and raised in Madison and is the second oldest of six siblings. Out of his siblings, Garrett is the only one to still go to an in-person public school, the rest are either homeschooled by his mom or taking classes online. Over the last summer he and his family moved to a house just outside of Appleton where his mom is slowly raising an army of ducks and chickens.

This year, Garrett is looking forward to attending digital writing and human diversity in literature at LQPV, as throughout his life reading and writing have always interested him. After he graduates this year, Garrett is taking a gap year and then is considering pursuing a career as either a high-school science or English teacher.

Kenna, is a Junior at Lac Qui Parle Valley High School. In school she is involved in choir and tennis. In choir she is a soprano. She has played tennis since 7th grade and is a doubles player Some of her hobbies include tennis, listening to music, reading, and hanging out with her friends.                                                                   

After graduating high school, Kenna plans on going to college to study to become an Ultrasound Technician. She used to live in Appleton, MN but moved to Correll MN when she was 7 and has lived there ever since. When she lives on her own she would like to move somewhere in warmer state.

Addison Nelson is a Junior at Lac Qui Parle Valley high school, where she learns with other students. Her sister is a year above her which makes her a senior, Kaylee and Addison grew up partly in Colorado, then moved to Bellingham. Addison has been in a few extracurriculars like choir and theater, only one organization and that's FFA. 

In her high school career she’s proceeding to learn more, see more, and experience with school. Addison’s work focuses on what she wants as a career, she wants to go to college for photography, and hopefully make a career out of it. She wants to pursue a career with photography like, taking peoples wedding pictures, senior photos, baby showers, etc. She’s currently learning her way around the camera, and working on how to edit the photos. 

Jayden Redepenning, a senior at LQPV High School, a good, solid B honor roll student. He was born and raised in Madison, Minnesota, and three siblings, Haley, Jonathan, and Payten. He is involved in many extracurricular activities, inside and outside school. Jayden, the vice president of sparkle slub, he’s in asset builders, student council, and the yearbook committee for in school activities. He also is involved in the high school Wizard of Oz musical, where he is playing 5 different parts right now. Practices are] after school. Up until Jayden’s senior year he has been in basketball since he was in first grade, and started traveling basketball when he was in third grade.

With all of the activities, Jayden also loves his job at the Little Eagles day care center. He’s been working there for 2 years now, and joined with his cousin Ingrid, when he was between doing elementary education or nursing for college. But before that, Jayden worked at Jubilee in Madison for about 2 and a half years, where he felt he developed a lot of people skills. Definitely learned how to deal with angry people.

Today Jayden’s plan after he graduates, to attend USF in Sioux Falls South Dakota, for nursing. He landed on USF because it’s a Christian college, and the collage has worship services twice a week, which he is excited for. He will attend for 4 years and graduate in 2030. Then has hopes of getting married soon after and working for a while. Hospitals are around the USF, with an $30,000 scholarships for graduated nursing students from USF, to work for them for 4 years, and he hopes to win.

Addison Rheingans is a senior at Lac Qui Parle Valley High School. She was born in Hibbing, MN, but shortly moved to Appleton, MN, where she still resides with her mother, grandmother, dog (Henry), and cat (Wallace). She also has one half-sibling who lives in Forest Lake, MN, and attends Century College in White Bear Lake, MN.

In school, Addison has previously taken college-level writing and speech classes, and performed highly on many writing assignments over the years. The experiences from her classes have helped her build and develop many techniques and confidence in her writing abilities. Currently, she’s enrolled in digital writing and eager to continue developing skills and strengthen her current writing abilities. She’s also looking forward to the different topics she will write about for the class. 

Outside of class and writing, Addison has many other interests. Just a few are going on hikes, fishing, crocheting, reading, watching anime, and sleeping with her cat. Above her other hobbies, though, she loves playing music. Specifically, Addison mainly plays french horn and piano, and usually when she isn’t busy with academic work, you can find her in a practice room working towards the next performance.

Akina Sledge attends Lac qui Parle Valley as a twelfth grader. She was born in South Carolina and raised in Longs, South Carolina. She grew up while her mother and father worked constantly, first owning one dog, then a second dog, and later a cat. Later she would have to give her cat to a human shelter and give her second dog to someone who knew how to take better care of him since her family had to move. She later lived in Columbia, South Carolina, for a short amount of time with her aunt while their trailer got set up. After it was set up, she moved to Loris, South Carolina, and owned two dogs again.

By middle school, Akina reached a college reading level in the fourth grade. Akina went to Loris High School during ninth grade, part of tenth grade, and part of eleventh grade. During that time, she took honors classes for students at a higher academic level. English always ranked as her best subject, and on a state MAP test that required an essay, she earned a perfect score, the only essay to achieve that. In the middle of her eleventh grade year, she moved to Appleton, Minnesota, where she started going to Lac qui Parle Valley. Now Akina attends twelfth grade and plans to graduate high school so she can either study culinary arts in college or start writing her own books, something she has loved for years. She owns two dogs, an older one named Cameron and a younger one named Dumplin.

Kate Ulstad is a senior at Lac qui Parle Valley High school. Kate grew up in Madison, Minnesota, where she still lives today. She attended Little Blessing Preschool, where she met many wonderful people who still remain her friends today. In elementary school, she discovered her love for music, annoying her family while she sang day in and day out. Furthering her love more music, in middle school she joined band, choir, and also participated in the middle school music “Jane of the Jungle”. In Junior High, Kate found her love for volleyball and committed herself to the team for many years. Volleyball allowed her to make new friends and grow in her skills. Also, growing up, Kate attended Lake Beauty Bible Camp and Rushmore Music camp where she met amazing people and still continues to attend. 

When Kate started high school, she joined golf, which quickly became a massive part of her life. Her first year on the team, she made the varsity team, and earned second place in the state tournament. The next year the team won. While she did not contribute the most on the course, but she enjoyed her role on the team. High school opened up new doors for Kate such as, college classes, sparkle club, yearbook, band and choir, and another musical. 

Currently, Kate attends sporting events and school function while still committing time to study and stay an A student. She also is involved in the spring musical “The Wizard of Oz”. Kate works at the Madison Mercantile as a barista, where she meets new people and makes new connections daily. In the future, Kate is planning to attend the University of Sioux Falls for accounting.

Macy Zahrbock is a high school student at Lac Qui Parle Valley high school. She’s very involved in and outside of school. Inside of school she’s involved in FFA, yearbook, student council, asset builders, Choir, varsity Golf, the varsity kick dance manager, The Wizard of Oz musical, and the President of Sparkle Club. Outside of school, she is the Madison ambassador, a Sunday school teacher, and sings in the church choir group called Agapes.

  During the summer she works as a lifeguard and a nanny. She’s very passionate about working with children which is why she’s going to SDSU in Brookings SD next year for college and majoring in Elementary Education. Macy loves spending time with friends and especially family, both parents and two younger sisters. Pink is her favorite color, and she makes sure everyone knows. She’s also very passionate about singing. She loves to sing at her church and has done many solos for her Christmas concert at her church specifically. Furthermore, she also sings solos for choir and sang the national anthem at the home competition for dance. She’s kind, bubbly, and likes to make everyone's day a little bit better.