South St. Paul board hears winter activities roundup: theater, dance, athletics and student clubs recognized

The South St. Paul school board spent the first portion of its Feb. 24 meeting hearing presentations from coaches, advisors and student leaders showcasing winter activities and upcoming performances and events.

Presentations and highlights included: - Theater: Mr. Holson described the winter one‑act season featuring six short plays, 73 student participants across actors and crews, 10 student directors and a student playwriting contest; four student playwrights were paid $50 each from the Deb Clark Memorial Theater Fund. - Girls basketball: Coach Isaac Douglas noted the team’s third straight double‑digit win season and a section playoff game scheduled at South Saint Paul; senior Scarlett Johansson was announced as this year’s Athena award winner earlier in the meeting. - Dance: Head coach Roz Wilson said the team sent kick and jazz teams to state, finished ninth in kick and first in jazz at sections, and had three all‑state dancers; the squad earned an overall academic MADT all‑state honor with a team GPA of 3.5. - Gymnastics: Coach Kaya Tajas highlighted individual growth and noted a season‑high team score of 121.95 and a senior who qualified for state competition. - Cheer: Chris Weinfertner described the program’s growth to 12 cheerleaders and three managers, fundraising for pom‑poms and securing uniforms through community connections. - Hockey: Coaches Dave and Zach Palmquist summarized strong girls’ and boys’ programs, including a 19‑8 girls season and multiple all‑conference and metro recognition for senior players; Bailey Vesper (girls) and other captains were introduced. - Wrestling: Coaches and student wrestlers described robust participation (18 girls; 45 high‑school boys) and multiple individual qualifiers for the upcoming state tournaments at the Excel Energy Center. - Student clubs: Amber Gay (advisor) and BPO students reviewed HBCU college‑fair participation, partnerships with Dodge Nature Center, upcoming food drives with Neighbors Inc., and other events. Women’s Society leaders described ongoing fundraising and a movie night to raise awareness and menstrual product donations for shelters.

Student board representatives reported the climate and culture survey will be conducted after snow‑day postponements, upcoming ACT tests and end‑of‑tri grading dates, and promotions for student events including a movie night hosted by Women’s Society and BPO.

The presentations were primarily informational and celebratory; no formal board action was required on the items presented.