Eight share valedictorian honors

Published 12:00 am Friday, June 6, 2003

Today is one of the most important days in the lives of Albert Lea 18-year-olds. The class of 2003 graduates tonight at 7:30 p.m. From there, their paths will roll out in a multitude of directions.

Albert Lea High School will have eight valedictorians this year. They have been chosen for their excellence in the classroom, but all of them have been notably active outside of the classroom as well.

Here’s who they are, and a little about them and their plans.

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Juliana Peterson

Future plans: Going to the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Possible majors: College of Liberal Arts, honors division

&uot;I’ll be studying basically everything &045; theater, music, education, English, psychology,&uot; she said. &uot;I’ll probably be going into theater and education. But I’m keeping the options open.&uot;

Activities: Youth in government, mock trial, show choir, chorale, caroliers, jazz band, marching band, pep band, thespian troupe, theater backstage crew and volleyball.

Matt Olsen

Future plans: Going to Dordt College, in Sioux Center, Iowa

Possible majors: He said he will likely major in political science.

&uot;I’m hoping to end up going to law school,&uot; he said.

Activities: soccer, basketball, track, intramural basketball and volleyball, show choir, chorale, caroliers, musicals and plays.

Leah Boyer

Future plans: Going to the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minn.

Possible majors: &uot;I’m thinking political science,&uot; she said. &uot;I’m keeping my options open. More than likely it could change. I’ve thought being a lawyer would be fun, or a judge.&uot;

Activities: Choir, band, mock trial team, TIDE drug education group, volleyball and softball; she was the captain of each respective sport her senior year.

Mandy DeVries

Future plans: Going to Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa.

Possible majors: &uot;I think I’ll major in pre-pharmacy,&uot; she said. &uot;I really like the medical field, but don’t think I’d like to be a doctor with all the blood involved.&uot; She said she wants to continue on in pharmacy.

&uot;Hopefully I can be a research pharmacist,&uot; she said. &uot;Testing and researching on medicines before they go public.&uot;

Activities: Yearbook editor, math team and youth in government.

Erin Budd

Future plans: Going to Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minn.

Possible major: &uot;I am planning on majoring in psychology,&uot; she said.

&uot;It’s just a very interesting field to me, I love people and finding out why they act why they do.&uot;

Activities: Choir, orchestra, show choir, chorale, musicals; national honor society president and blood-drive coordinator.

Liz Reynen

Future plans: Going to Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa.

Possible majors: &uot;I’m not quite sure what my major is going to be,&uot; she said. &uot;I’m thinking about communications with a minor in art or photography&uot; She said afterward she might pursue a career in journalism, but she said she would keep her options open.

Activities: Varsity soccer since seventh grade, student council, show choir and choir.

Frances O’Donnell

Future plans: Going to Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass.

Possible majors: &uot;Applied mathematics or bio-chemistry,&uot; she said.

&uot;I’m still kind of open, but looking for something math and science related.&uot;

Activities: Hockey, cross county, track; played tuba in the band; advertising manager for the ALAHASA student publication.

Stephanie Overgaard

Future plans: Going to Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Possible majors: &uot;I’m undecided for a major,&uot; she said. &uot;I’ll probably do something like international relations. All I want to do is travel and save the world.&uot;

Overgaard said she might pursue that goal through internationally based social work.

Activities: Soccer, track, choir, band, show choir, chorale and national honor society.

Each of these students said they felt great honor in being chosen valedictorian. They all also mentioned that the eight of them were very close, so it’s something they all can share together.

O’Donnell summed it up: &uot;It’s something I’ve kind of had my eye on through high school,&uot; she said. &uot;I worked hard and it paid off. It’s also great to be sharing the title with a lot of very talented people. Especially with a class with as many hard-working students as there are in this one.&uot;