“Kaija (Ki-ya) Eckholm, of Savage, Minnesota, graduated with honors from Burnsville High School this spring. Kaija has always been a strong student, receiving National Honor Society membership since Junior High Kaija has a passion for soccer and has been an active participant since a very young age. She has played on state championship club teams at the Premier level and played varsity soccer while in high school. In addition to her playing skills, Kaija has coached youth soccer for the Burnsville Athletic Club. Kaija also teaches soccer at Left Foot Coaching Academy in Minneapolis. While she would have loved to play in college, playing at a D1 level was not in the cards. Kaija has spent many hours volunteering working on activities benefiting children. She taught Sunday school, was a team leader for a church summer program for children and teens and participated in multiple Feed My Starving Children opportunities as well as other child focused events. Kaija was happy to be accepted at all of the colleges to which she applied. As soon as she received her offer letter from the University of Minnesota, her first choice, she immediately accepted. She will be following in her fathers and grandfathers footsteps. Kaija will be pursuing an undergraduate degree in Kinesiology at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities this fall and is looking towards a PhD in physical therapy after that. “ E. Paul Eckholm Page 33
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