By Kari Lucin, staff writer

Though Anna Claussen and Allison Nelson graduated from Albert Lea High School with 4.0 grade point averages, they are achievers even among the achievers: They have been awarded National Merit scholarships.

&8220;Don’t worry so much about what grade you get,&8221; Claussen advised. &8220;People stress out about always getting the A. Make sure you know as much as you can get to know. Let yourself learn it as you’re learning it &045;&160;it’s a lot easier, and then you have more time to do fun stuff like go to movies.&8221;

Nelson said persistence was important for success.

&8220;Never give up,&8221; Nelson said. &8220;Yeah, things are going to go wrong. Nothing ever works out perfectly, but you can always make it work, or find another way of doing something.&8221;

Both young women are interested in the sciences, Nelson in biology and genetics and Claussen in engineering. Nelson plans to head to the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities, and Claussen will head for Iowa State University.

Nelson said she will not miss her family.

&8220;It’s close enough to home that I can see them if I want to, and my mom lives just north of the cities, and my dad lives just two hours south of the cities,&8221; Nelson said. &8220;It’s time to move on. We started fighting over little things, like the mess in the kitchen.&8221;

Claussen liked how close Iowa State is to Albert Lea.

&8220;It’s far enough that my parents won’t be down there every weekend, but I can still go home. It’s a good sized college, but a smaller town,&8221; Claussen said.

She too is ready to move on to the new people and new challenges college has to offer.

When Nelson wasn’t studying during her time in high school, she was figure skating in Albert Lea and later, as part of a synchro team in Rochester. She also worked at the United States Department of Agriculture office in Austin, where she did clerical work.

Claussen also spent time on her hobbies during high school. She likes gardening and cooking, and she’s involved with 4-H. Currently, Claussen has quilting projects, vegetables and a youth leadership project at the Freeborn County Fair. She has also served as a summer camp counselor and a 4-H ambassador. Currently she is seeing engineers in action at the Freeborn County Highway Department, where she works for County Engineer Sue Miller doing clerical work as well as some hands-on projects.

Both girls are avid readers.

Nelson is looking forward to the independence that comes with going away to school, and though she has plenty of independence now she’s looking forward to being on her own.

&8220;I am looking forward to being held totally accountable for my actions,&8221; Claussen said. &8220;In high school, you’re still a little bit babied.&8221;