Earlier this school year, I was humbled and gratified to be nominated for a WEM Foundation teaching achievement award. The best part of the nomination was that it came from some of my students. Being recognized by students is the best honor there is as a teacher; they are with you every day and see you at your best and your worst.

The process I got to undertake after my nomination was fairly arduous. I had to get letters of recommendation and put together my resume.

The last thing I had to do was answer a series of essay questions about my motivations, my style, and my goals. Even for a guy who really enjoys writing, I had to work hard to craft my words and get my meaning across in a clear manner.

As I was contemplating some of these questions, I thought back across my career and even to what motivated me to teach in the first place. Here we go: my secret origin as a teacher!

I distinctly remember sitting in social studies class as a freshman in high school. I had always been a good student, sometimes because of understanding the material and other times because of understanding the system in place and using it to achieve a high grade. That class was an example of the latter. I’m sure I don’t remember much of the material I learned, but I got an A or A- every quarter. The teacher lectured, we took notes, read a section, and answered questions. The tests were pretty straightforward, with an essay question that the teacher always thought would trick us, but never did.

I sat there one day, in somewhat of a stupor, thinking about what an easy job this teacher had. How much effort was it to sit up there and do the same thing every day, except days when we’d watch a filmstrip? Right there, I decided that I would become a teacher.

Not the most auspicious way to decide on a career, I grant you, but it worked. The next thought was what would I teach? I didn’t want to teach social studies or be anywhere near something that teacher was a part of. I rather enjoyed band, despite the teacher there. I had gotten the opportunity to be “Teacher for a Day” in band and had a lot of fun.

Still, it was English that stood out. I loved to read and write, so what better field? My loyal readers will remember my column where I mentioned Mr. Larry Tise as a profound influence on me. He was my English teacher in 10th and 12th grade, and I know that I chose English because of him. He didn’t just stand up there and lecture. Our tests were more creative than formulaic. We didn’t always sit in straight rows. I loved it.

His inspiration carried me to college, and it was a real benefit to know what I was going to major in from the start. I was able to mix my gen eds and my major studies from the start. Trust me, as an English major, you don’t want too many English classes at a time – that’s a lot of writing!

My professors in college pushed me, but once again I found myself influenced by a not-so-great instructor. My prof for classroom management told us how not to teach, but she did all those same things herself. A group of us called her out on it, perhaps startling her out of the routine she’d been in for ages.

Between her and the high school teacher I did not admire, the negative influences have helped me as much as anything. Over the years, I’ve vowed not to be an influence in that manner. I’ve taken the framework of Mr. Tise’s class, along with some great professors and my student teaching supervisor, Mrs. Judy Schmidt from Houston, Minnesota, and crafted my own identity.

I hope others follow that type of path in finding a career. As the seniors begin looking ahead to life after high school, I’m sure many of them are besieged with questions about future plans. Some know what they want to do already and others will take some time. Take the good and the bad and use them to shape your future too.

I haven’t heard back from the WEM Foundation since I sent in my materials in January. That most likely means I didn’t win, but as the cliché goes, the journey is often more important than the destination. My journey of reflections has reinvigorated me for the stretch run of this school year and many years to come.

Word of the Week: This week’s word is absquatulating, a word my wife ran across in a book, which means running away, as in, “The teacher thought of absquatulating after a particularly difficult week, but vowed to get through the tough time.” Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!

The scurs slid the lever on the Weather Eye all the way to the left and like magic we had our first 60-degree day. Will they be able to duplicate that magic again this week? Starting Wednesday, mostly cloudy with a modest chance of rain then a good chance of overnight snow. Highs near 45 and lows around 30. Mostly cloudy, and ugly for Thursday with a good chance of rain changing over to accumulating snow. Highs in the low 40’s and lows near 30.Mostly cloudy Friday with a good chance of daytime snow and a slight chance for overnight snow. Highs in the mid-30’s and lows in the upper 20’s. Finally, mostly sunny on Saturday with highs in the upper 30’s and lows in the mid-20’s. Mostly sunny and warmer on Sunday with a slight chance of overnight rain and snow. Highs in the mid-40’s and lows in the lower 30’s. Monday, partly cloudy with a slight chance of rain. Highs in the upper 40’s and lows in the lower 30’s. Tuesday, mostly sunny with highs again in the upper 40’s and lows in the lower 30’s. The normal high for April 6th is 52 and the normal low is 31. We will see over 13 hours of daylight for the first time since September 5th. The scurs are thinking they will want to keep their long johns washed for a few weeks yet.

It’s beginning to look like we may see spring after all. While there was no lawn mowing to be done as we did back in 2012, there was progress as much of the remaining snow left the landscape between Sunday and Monday. This didn’t seem to faze the ice fishermen on St. Olaf. The ice was still in good shape according to reports both days. Rainfall on Thursday and Monday have helped move the frost out of the ground in many places. At the SROC, the frost was officially out as of the 31st. At the ranch we took out the divining rod otherwise known as an electric fencepost and checked many spots around the yard. In places the frost was indeed out. Wherever the ground had stayed snow covered and on the south facing slope, there was little frost. Where it had been bare and on the north facing slope frost could still be found on the 31st from 4” – 6” down under sod. 

Using more reliable methods, it has begun to sound like spring. The red-winged blackbirds came in force over the weekend. When they weren’t calling loudly the sound of their wings as the large groups took flight could only mean it was spring. Killdeers were also back, calling from area fields nearby. A flock of 60 - 70 snows and blues were spotted high overhead on Saturday, their distinctive high pitched squawk made them easy to spot. The sun shining off the black wing tips of the mature snows and the outstretched white heads and necks of the blues cemented the ID. Robins have set up shop and males are battling for territory. Even with the ground thawing, we have yet to see them pulling earthworms from the ground. Soils apparently remain too cold and they rely heavily on the crabapples for some sustenance. Striped gophers also have yet to make an appearance at the ranch even on the south slope where they tend to be numerous. Freezing and thawing soils over the course of this week will likely delay their emergence from winter slumber even further.

Of course the mud due to the warm up also means it’s spring. We almost look forward to the ground freezing overnight so it’s not so sloppy in the feedlot. That and the dogs stay a lot cleaner. We have limited their time in the barn recently and have substituted more frequent short outdoor trips to offset their normal routine at chore time. If you let a Border Collie out around the sheep, keeping them clean is next to impossible. By letting them out then leaving them in the garage during chores, they tend to clean themselves up by the time you come back in. Definitely method to our madness.

The grill was finally out of the snowbanks long enough so we could fire it up on Sunday night. The winds had subsided and two adult beverages later there were lamb burgers on the plate. Something about those first treats off the grill. Try as I might, I can never seem to make them taste as good as that initial effort. However I keep trying. 

Fruit tree pruning was accomplished in stages over the weekend. It was about as late as we dared to go without putting the trees at increased risk in particular for bacterial diseases. It’s interesting to get a handle on the general health of the trees as well as giving them a shaping up. The Fireside and Haralson apple trees were awful to prune, almost as though they had grown hair since last spring’s clipping. Working them over a few years ago after letting them go a few years before that serves as a lesson on what not to do. Pruning the pear trees was almost humorous in contrast. Sure, they’re younger but trimming one or two twigs is more my speed. The peach tree appears to have survived even without major wrapping. This is a good thing as all those peach crates Betsy’s dad and I ordered might go to waste otherwise.

See you next week…real good then.

Elsie M. Panos, longtime resident of Medford, died April 1, 2014 at Owatonna Care Center in Owatonna. Mass of Christian burial is set for Friday, April 4, 2014 at 10:30 am at Christ the King Church in Medford. Burial will follow at Resurrection Cemetery in Medford. Friends may greet the family on Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Medford Funeral Home and one hour before the funeral mass at the funeral home. A procession will follow the morning visitation to Christ the King Church at 10:20 a.m.  

The visitation for Peggy Jean Montanye will be Wednesday April 2, 2014 in River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home from 4 to 8 p.m.

Miss Montanye, 49, of Rochester, died following a courageous battle with cancer on Thursday March 27, 2014 at Maple Manor Health Care Center.

Peggy was born August 18, 1964 in Waseca, MN. to Harold and Ardes Splitt Montanye. She graduated from Ellendale Geneva High School in Ellendale, MN. in 1982. Peggy has lived in Rochester since 1986 and worked in food service at Maple Manor Health Care Center for 21 years. Peggy loved cooking and baking, especially cut out sugar cookies for every season. Peggy also loved going to parades.

Ordean G. Hanson, 86, passed away Saturday, March 22,20l4 at Northfield Long Term Care Center.

Ordean was born October 19, l927 in Owatonna, Minnesota the son of Ole M. and Lilly Gevorda Hanson. He grew up on a farm in Lemond Township with his parents and two sisters, He graduated from the New Richland High School in 1946. In November of 1948 he married Patricia G. Dahn.

Ordean began his working career as an ice harvest worker and helped with the ice box refrigeration business, and then went to Wilcos Rafters in Albert Lea, MN. At that time he came down with polio and after his recovery decided to go to Dunwoody and received a technical degree in appliance repair. He then came to work for Riverside in Owatonna till the passing of his wife. He then worked at Sears for a few years and then the Owatonna Mall till he retired.

Congratulations to NRHEG's John Schultz and Grant Berg for being named the Section 2AA Head Coach and Assistant Coach of the Year! They are also in the running for the State Coach of the Year, which Coach Schultz received last year. John also will be honored as the Assistant Coach of the Year for football this weekend at the Annual Minnesota Football Coaches Assoc. Clinic.

Said NRHEG Athletic Director Dan Stork, "We are very fortunate to have such dedicated, hard working coaches representing NRHEG!"

SO LONG, FANS - NRHEG girls' basketball seniors, from left: Paige Overgaard, Hannah Lundberg, Jade Schultz, Carlie Wagner (Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak)

By JIM LUTGENS

Editor/Publisher

For upwards of an hour Saturday evening, Panther fans waited patiently in the high school gymnasium for their beloved girls.

Finally, the loud and colorful caravan - featuring fire trucks from New Richland, Hartland, Ellendale and Geneva - rolled into town, carrying the not once but twice state champions.

The heroes were home.

Mark Domeier let people know it.

"Welcome to New Richland for our third annual welcome home celebration and your two-time state champion New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva Panthers!" exclaimed Domeier, NRHEG's basketball public address announcer.

NRHEG girls start, end season No. 1

DETERMINED DRIVE — NRHEG’s Maddie Wagner goes up for a layup while being contested by Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted’s Maggie Miller in the state semifinal game. (Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak)

By DALE KUGATH

Sportswriter

MINNEAPOLIS – Despite the enormous pressure of repeating last year’s state championship, the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva girls’ basketball team refused to cave in. 

The Panthers made it consecutive Class AA titles by taking the top seed and winning three straight games for back-to-back state titles. 

NRHEG ended its season a perfect 31-0, and will start next season with a 61-game winning streak intact. 

“It is so hard to win a championship, but everyone thought it would be easy to do with everyone we had coming back,” said NRHEG coach John Schultz. “These girls were able to handle the pressure. I’m proud of the way they reacted to that pressure all season.”