Sibley Elementary School will present its musical production of “Annie” at 7 p.m. today in the Albert Lea High School auditorium. The production features students in fourth, fifth and sixth grades.

Southwest students do PACER

Each week at Southwest Middle School, all students enrolled in seventh or eighth-grade physical education classes are required to complete the PACER test. PACER is an acronym for Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run. On “PACER” days, students are divided into two groups; one group completes the test while their partner records his or her score, they then switch places when the first group has completed the test.

To complete the PACER test students run a 20-meter distance in the gymnasium as they listen to a series of beeps that are played on a CD. As the students run, the beeps on the CD progressively become faster and faster; therefore making it more difficult to make the 20-meter destination. Students are allowed to stop the test when they feel they have had enough. Students are expected to improve their score each week and are graded on those expectations.

Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ) Standards have been established by the FITNESSGRAM Company; they are as follows:

23 – 51 for middle school- aged girls

 41 – 83 for middle school- aged boys

These numbers represent the low and high end of the Healthy Fitness Zones; anything above these standards is considered excellent fitness levels for those individuals achieving such scores.

The highest score possible on the PACER test is 157 laps; no student has ever achieved that score, nor expected to! So far this semester students in Karol Hansen’s and Daniel Harms’ classes have attained scores of (80) by Kristina Larsen (eighth), (90) by Jacob Borland (eighth), (88) by Jared Olson (seventh), and (58) by Hannah Hertling (seventh). Ninety-five percent of the students in physical education classes this semester have been running within the healthy zone.

Mock trial teams complete seasons

The Albert Lea High School Mock Trial Teams completed their seasons last week. The Albert Lea Blue team finished in the region semi-finals losing to Owatonna 253-246. This was the second highest scoring match in the state this year. One of the judges called the Owatonna/Albert Lea trial “The best trial I have seen in three years.”

Twenty students participated this year on two ALHS teams. Team members included: senior Leigha Sherburne; juniors Aaron Thomas, Maddy Ruble, Zoe Hill, Josselyn Hill, and Ciera Guerra; sophomores Shelby Lageson, Logan Tufte and Steven Kreun; and freshmen Annabelle Randall, Addison Peterson, Macy Paul, Nick Olson, Sami Klapperick, Dana Jacobs, Shelby Illg (spelled illg), Michelle Hartmann, Claire Buendorf, Stuart Behling and Morgan Field.

Southwest names Math Students of the Week

Southwest Middle School announced that these students have been named as Math Students of the Week between December and February of the school year. These students are selected by their math teachers based on grades, work ethic, participation and overall positive attitudes.

They are: Jordan Bang, Collin Jahnke, Marleny Huerta Apanco, Andie Harveaux, Helen Yau-Li, Emma Behling and Andrew Ehrhardt.

Students compete in weigtlighting contest

High school students Jake Jensen and Anthony Farr were only the second and third ALHS students to ever compete in a Minnesota weightlifting competition. Over 110 boys and girls participated in the tournament held in Lakeville on Feb. 7. The competition consists of the two Olympic lifts which are the clean and jerk as well as the snatch. Jake placed seventh in his Junior age category weight class and Anthony placed 12th.