On Friday, May 23, 12 students from Southwest Middle School attended a session at The Stables Equestrian Center in Rochester. Students had the opportunity to learn about equine care and grooming. All participants enjoyed an hour of riding and riding instruction.

Students participating were Sarah Hoverson, Dale Dziura, Matt Attig, Bradfor Milliron, Allison Scott, Andie Haveraugh, Michelle Hatman, Katie Callahan, Kaylyn Stensrud, Victoria Cook, Amanda Tripp and Jessica VanRiper. Students were supervised by Sara Kirsch and Penny Hagen. Students at Southwest Middle School contributed to the funding by collecting milk tops.

High school students have perfect attendance

Tenth-grader Kaylee Parmenter, ninth-grader Melanie Pederson, ninth-grader Jade Claassen, ninth-grader Rachel Boyer and ninth-grader Carlton Stripe were awarded with $200 gift packages for their perfect attendance for the entire 2007-08 school year at Albert Lea High School.

A special thanks to these area businesses that made the awards possible:

Albert Lea Electric Co., Albert Lea Medical Center, Aurora Dental Center, Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home, Dale Hallum Insulation, Dean P. Leonard, D.D.S., M.S., P.A., Tom and Jean Eaton, Margaret Ehrhardt, Freeborn-Mower Cooperative Services, Hammer, Dieser & Mangskau pllp, Innovance inc., Mrs. Gerry’s, National Association for Moneygram, State Farm Insurance-Nancy Vanderbilt, Tri-State Tax Inc., Wells Fargo, Western Rentals and United Employees Credit Union.

ALHS graduate Eric Bowron

to study in Germany

The American Institute for Foreign Study Foundation is pleased to announce that Eric Bowron of Albert Lea has been awarded the prestigious Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange scholarship to study abroad in Germany for the 2008-2009 academic year. Eric is a 2008 graduate of Albert Lea Senior High and is one of only 250 students from the United States granted this scholarship.

The Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange program is the premier exchange program for American and German high school students. The program, jointly funded by the German Bundestag, Germany’s lower house of parliament, and the U.S. Congress, through the U.S. Department of State, provides a full scholarship to students who have demonstrated high achievement in academics as well as personal qualities such a curiosity, cultural awareness, flexibility and communication.

Scholarship recipients will depart for Germany this summer and will reside with a volunteer host family for a full year while attending a local high school. In addition to learning the language and culture of Germany, the students will have the opportunity to visit historical sites as well as witness a session of the German Bundestag.

To counter the 250 students traveling to Germany this year, 300 German high school students will participate in a reciprocal program in the United States. These students will learn about the American culture while living with volunteer host families and studying at high schools across the nation.

The AIFS Foundation, which administers the CBYX program in Minnesota, was established in 1967 with the assistance of the late Sen. Robert Kennedy. The mission of the AIFS Foundation is to help young people from many nations and diverse cultures understand each other better. The Foundation’s high school division, academic Year in America, has been in operation since 1981 and has enabled more than 20,000 students from over 40 countries to live with host families in the USA while attending high school.

To learn more about the CBYX program, or to host a German student in your home, please call (800) 322-4678 or e-mail Stella Jacaruso at sjacaruso@aifs.org or visit our Web site, www.academicyear.org. By hosting a German student in your home, you not only share your family values and the U.S. culture while making a lifetime relationship but also contribute to U.S. international relations.