North Branch Area High School

Congratulations to NBAHS senior Matt Wendel, who earned his Private Pilot Certificate on March 13! Matt started ground school in the fall of 2022 (16 years old), after expressing an interest in becoming a pilot to his parents. He was soloing by May of 2023! His plan is to attend Lake Superior College next year to become a commercial pilot. Way to go Matt! “When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.” – Leonardo DaVinci

Please join us as we celebrate our Viking #Classof2024 in today’s #SeniorSpotlight! ❤️🖤 ▪️Taylor Anderson ▪️Pierce Anderson ▪️Shaeyna Andreotti ▪️Carly Anstett We're proud of our seniors. They are going to do AMAZING things! #Celebrate138 #VikingSeniorPride

Please join us as we celebrate our Viking #Classof2024 in today’s #SeniorSpotlight! ❤️🖤 ▪️Storm Ableiter ▪️Victoria Agnes ▪️Alexia Russell ▪️Austin Anderson We're proud of our seniors. They are going to do AMAZING things! #Celebrate138 #VikingSeniorPride

Congratulations to North Branch Area High School senior Yupheng (Nick) Vang! Yupheng (#9) was in Puerto Rico in late March with the Hype Volleyball Club winning the Silver Bracket Championship at the 2024 Caribbean Championship Tournament! Way to go Yupheng! Yupheng grew up in a family of volleyball players, both his parents played, as do his three older sisters. He started showing passion and commitment at the age of 13 years old.  He played two years of high school volleyball at Hmong College Prep Academy prior to transitioning to NBAHS. Yuphenghas been playing competitively at the club level for three years, the last two years with Hype. In his first year, they competed in a National Qualifying tournament in order to earn a bid to the National Level in Salt Lake City, Utah, and they took the championship win and earned that bid.  Last year at Nationals, they finished 3rd place at the USAV Nationals. This year, Hype has had a great season: 1. Dec. 10  (MN Select Tournament, 2nd Place in Gold Bracket) 2. Dec. 16-17 (Boys NCR Smashshanova 18s, Blaine/Woodbury, 3rd Place in Gold Bracket) 3. Jan. 26-28 (Boys January Thaw, Mpls Convention Center,  1st Place in Gold Bracket) 4. Feb. 10-11 (Boys Region Qualifier, Mpls Convention Center, 2nd Place in Gold Bracket) 5. March 2-3 (2024 Dale Rohde Memorial Boys, Madison, WI, 2nd Place in Bronze Bracket) 6. March 9-10 (Boys Battle Royals 18s, Wiona, WI, 1st Place in Gold Bracket) 7. March 17 (Boys Shamrock 17/18s, Shakopee HS, 1st Place in Gold Bracket) 8. March 22-24 (Boys Caribbean Volleyball Championship, Puerto Rico, 1st Place in Silver Bracket)  Yupheng's mom Shoua added, "He could not have accomplished this without the support and understanding of all of his teachers as he has had to miss school days for some of the out of state tournaments."   Impressive stuff! Way to go Hype and way to go Yupheng!

Due to weather conditions, after-school district events and activities are canceled for today. This includes sports and activities, parent-teacher conferences and Community Education events. Youth Connections will remain open as regularly scheduled. Information about rescheduled parent-teacher conferences will come from each school. School will be released 10 minutes earlier than normal to allow extra time for a safe ride home. This early release is not expected to change the time students arrive at home- the purpose is to prioritize more time in response to road conditions.

North Branch Area High School presents "Sister Act - A Divine Musical Comedy" on May 2-4 at 7 p.m and May 5 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12. Get yours today!

Due to weather conditions, North Branch Area Public Schools is closed today, Monday, March 25. This includes early childhood programs, school age care, Community Education programs, and all activities. Staff should not report, all buildings will be closed.

Congratulations to DECA phenom Amelia Bjerketvedt! After placing third in Marketing Communications Series, and first in Professional Selling Event at the state conference, Amelia will travel to Anaheim in April to compete with more than 20,000 top students from around the world at the International Career Development Conference – the pinnacle of DECA competition.

Mark your calendars for fun! NBAPS, the City of North Branch, and Chisago County SHIP are again hosting Walk and Roll to School on Wednesday, May 8, at 7:05 am. We will meet at the North Branch Area Library and head out with our friends from the NBPD and the NBFD. Join us!

On Thursday, state All-Around champion and two-time Bars champion, gymnast Dakota Esget, got the full Vikings treatment, with walk throughs celebrating her incredible achievement at every school! Dakota also finished 2nd on the Vault and 2nd on the Floor. Just look at all those medals!

The National Honor Society is hosting a blood drive at North Branch Area High School on Wed., March 27, from 8 am to 2 pm. You can register to give blood at www.redcrossblood.org. Use sponsor code NBHS. Those who donate will get a $10 Visa gift card.

Congratulations to Libby Nielsen and Everett Thomsen, NBAHS’s nominees for the MSHSL Triple “A” award. The Academics, Arts, and Athletics Award, commonly known as the Triple 'A' Award, honors high school seniors throughout the state who have a 3.0 or higher-grade point average and participate in League-sponsored athletic and fine arts activities

Congratulations to senior Peyton Verdon, NBAHS's 2024 Athena Award winner! Verdon was one of two senior female athletes nominated by North Branch Area High School head coaches, then selected for the honor by coaching staff vote, based on her athletic accomplishments. Peyton earned 4 letters for soccer, and 6 letters for softball, 2 All-Conference awards, 1 All-Section Award and was captain for 2 seasons in both sports. Soccer team awards she earned include 2x Defensive MVP and Viking Award. In softball, she’s received the Vikings Award twice and was also Defensive MVP. Peyton was part of the 2021 and 2023 soccer section runner-up teams, 2021 softball section champion and state tournament participant, and 2023 softball team section runner up. Peyton will be recognized at the St. Paul Athena Awards event on Wednesday, April 17th.

NBAHS hosted a walking pep rallly today to honor Vikings DECA participants who earned themselves the opportunity to compete at state! DECA qualifiers include: Amelia Bjerketvedt: 1st Place Professional Selling, 1st Place Marketing Communications, Top Test Score Chloe Grube: 1st Place Innovation Business Plan, Top Test Score Anna Randall: 6th Place Hospitality and Tourism Professional Sales Chloe & Anna: 1st Place Hospitality Team Event Blake Lelm: 2nd Place Sports and Entertainment Marketing, 5th Place Start Up Business Plan, Top Test Score Leah Melton: 4th Place Financial Sales Consulting Leah & Karissa Metzger: 4th Place buying and Merchandising Team Event Brianna Bjerketvedt: 2nd Place Principles of Marketing Jilian Hosfall: 1st Place Quick Serve Restaurant Management, 5th Place Soft Line Sales Demonstration, also Qualified with her Franchise Business Plan The state conference takes place on March 10th-12th. Congrats and good luck at state!

Congratulations to Ashley Bistodeau and Jack Baker, the 2023-24 ExCEL (Excellence in Community, Education, and Leadership) Award nominees for North Branch Area High School! The Minnesota State High School League ExCEL Award recognizes high school juniors active in school activities, leaders in their schools, and who demonstrate a strong commitment to community service.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for FRC Team Robotics demo night, Thursday Feb. 29, at Chisago Lake High School!

Congratulations to the North Branch Knowledge Bowl Varsity 1 team! They finished 5th place with 91 points at the Subregional meet on Wednesday at St. Cloud State University. The team will advance to the next level of competition on Tuesday, March 12 at the Region 7 Regional Knowledge Bowl Meet! They must place either first or second at this meet to advance on to the State Meet, which would make this the third year in a row that a North Branch Knowledge Bowl team made it all the way to state! Pictured left to right, Elinor Tetzlaff (12), Camden Rafftery (11), Jackson Thelander (11), Hendrick Schroeder (12)

Students and members of the North Branch Area High School FFA chapter spent time learning about about public policy at “FFA day at the Capitol” in Saint Paul. Students had the opportunity to take a tour of the Capitol and hear from lawmakers and leaders in the agricultural sector. A highlight of the day include meeting with Senator Mark Koran to address the importance of career and technical education in our school as we work through our first years as an emerging Agricultural Education program. FFA is a nationwide student leadership organization available to all agricultural education students at NBAHS. FFA prepares students for careers in agriculture and beyond. The North Branch FFA Chapter was chartered this school year and is led by students and advisor Amanda Cook.

You can support the Senior All Night Party by eating at the North Branch McDonalds on March 5, between 4 and 7 p.m. Twenty percent of proceeds will go toward creating a night to remember for graduating seniors! See flier for additional details.

The Viking Newsletter - February 2024 is now available and can be accessed at this link: https://www.smore.com/wmn8j