My name is Jacob Hansen. I am writing with some concerns to the recognition of some of the smaller schools in the Albert Lea area. I graduated from Glenville-Emmons High School in 2003 and now live in Glencoe. I have a younger brother and his close friends (who have become my friends) attending high school also in Glenville-Emmons. I have noticed in the past years the smaller school such as Alden-Conger and Glenville-Emmons have lacked recognition in the Tribune.

I enjoy reading up on sporting events and other happenings that take place in my home area, mostly via Internet, and it seems that the articles concerning the smaller schools are becoming shorter and shorter. It almost seems as though the Tribune does not care about the area schools. Albert Lea High School does receive a lot of attention though. I have no problem with that as I have family members attending Albert Lea High as well. I would just like to see more than a couple small paragraphs about smaller school events. Because I live in Glencoe, I do not get to attend many things such as sporting events in the home area and enjoy reading about them in the news, but all I seem to ever get is the score of the game and a few stats. I would really like to read what some of the players or the coaches thought about the game. Take an example, Glenville-Emmons boys’ basketball recently ended a 16-game losing streak to Spring Grove. To me this seems like a pretty big accomplishment for any team or school.

I like to think that I am not only speaking for myself when I voice these concerns. I have spoken with other family members and friends who also enjoy reading about such things in the local paper. And for those like me who may not live in the area, but still have access to the Internet and can read stories online, like to keep up with events and activities that go on in the home area. I sometimes get asked by friends and acquaintances how my old high school or brother is doing in sports, and sometimes it would be nice to show them an article from the paper that said a little more than “G-E boys win.”

A little more spotlight on smaller schools I think would be greatly appreciated by a lot of readers, myself included. I am not trying to take any thunder away from Albert Lea High School, I just believe that other area schools are just as important to readers and deserve more than a small corner of print.

Jacob Hansen

Glencoe

Editor’s note: You probably noted that the Tribune did attend, write about and photograph the game the Glenville-Emmons boys’ basketball team won against Grand Meadow coincidentally about the time your letter arrived this week. Feel free to call our sports desk anytime at (507) 379-3437.