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DECEMBER 20, 2016

Christmastime contradictions

he holiday season can certainly conjure up celebratory feelings of gratitude, friendly comradery and joy but, unfortunately, many of us can also experience added stress and feelings of sadness. The loss of a loved one any time of year is difficult, but feelings of sadness and grief can be sharply magnified this time of year because there is the perception that everyone else is happy, combined with the expectation that we should be happy as well. My heart goes out to the family and friends of Bridget Giere and Stephanie Carlson, the Mounds View High School students who were killed in a car accident on their way to school earlier this month. Hopefully their Angle of love, faith and the outpouring of support from the community will help View them cope with a loss so sudden and tragic that it defies explanation. Paul Dols I would never want to compare personal tragedies, but I have empathy for what they are going through. Years ago, our family experienced tragedy in the weeks preceding Christmas with the death of my brother Billy. He was only 26 years old when he died suddenly without warning. He was a gifted athlete at both the high school and college levels and by all accounts seemed to be in good health. In an effort to find some sort of explanation and closure my father requested an autopsy, but the doctors were never able to tell us why my brother died during the night. It still remains a mystery. While we were growing up, I looked up to my older brother and both literally and figuratively followed in his footsteps. I remember tagging along behind him after a heavy snowfall and placing my feet in the deep prints he left behind as we trekked through the neighborhood. Now he was gone. Battling waves of grief, our family managed to celebrate Christmas that year and also the years that followed. However, when I look back at my family history I view it as distinctly before and after that fateful year. Through experience, I’ve come to believe that you never really get over the loss of a loved one, but you can learn to live with and honor their memory. I suspect that most of us are in some way dealing with personal challenges at this time of the year and I found some practical tips on coping with stress and sadness on the Mayo Clinic website including: • Acknowledge your feelings: If someone close to you has recently died or you can’t be with loved ones, realize that it’s normal to feel sadness and grief. It’s OK to take time to cry or express your feelings. You can’t force yourself to be happy just because it’s the holiday season • Reach out: If you feel lonely or isolated, seek out community, religious or other social events. Volunteering your time to help others also is a good way to lift your spirits and broaden your friendships. • Set realistic expectations: The holidays don’t have to be perfect or just like last year. As families change and grow, traditions and rituals often change as well. Choose a few to hold on to, and be open to creating new ones. • Set aside differences: Set aside grievances until a more appropriate time for discussion and try to accept family members and friends as they are. • Stick to a budget: Before you go gift and food shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend. Then stick to your budget. I certainly struggle with this myself, but when confronted with situations that add to the stress level, I think it would really help if we can all take a moment before feeding into the anger and make the choice to exercise patience and kindness — with others and perhaps just as importantly, with ourselves. Paul Dols is photojournalist/website editor for Press Publications. He can be reached at 651-407-1238 or photos@presspubs.com.

Setting goals for a successful future

e can all remember a time in which we planned out something that was really important. When it’s important to you, you pour yourself into the act, making sure that everything is done precisely to your speciﬁcations and that the end result is perfect. In November, the Centennial School District embarked in Strategic Planwith the goal Movers & ning being setting a course of success Shakers for the future. This process Brian Dietz engaged a representative group of individuals within our community who guided the planning and arrived at eight tangible goals that will reshape the district and move us into the future. It is always great when a plan comes together! Committees, comprised of residents of the district, enrolled families, and staff, will work on goal implementation plans. Here is a summary of the eight goals: 1. Identify, value, and engage as the community that is Centennial. Identify our current practices, using surveys to determine what our communities want, and developing events that truly represent our community.

6. Expand programming and infrastructure to address the vocational, college prep, and remedial needs of each student. Create a sub group to evaluate potential options in this area that aren’t necessarily driven by cost. 7. Develop a partnership between students and community on a service level and on a business level. Identify current partnerships and create new ones that connect us in many ways to 2. Analyze causes of the our communities. achievement gap and provide 8. Develop a two-prong accessibility at all levels and approach to lobbying and for all stakeholders. Research fundraising. Establish a lobbycurrent and best practices and ing group to promote legislative implement new strategies to adchanges and a fundraising group dress the achievement gap. 3. Find strategic ways to com- tasked with raising dollars for municate using staff, students, local initiatives. As we continue to work on these and community. Use a variety of strategies to communicate and goals, we will keep you informed through The Observer and the connect with all stakeholders in our communities as well as devel- Annual Report. Sign up online at isd12.org/subscribe to receive oping others. the “News from the District,” an 4. Establish a “Plan-Doelectronic newsletter containing Check” model for all areas. more frequent strategic plan upContinue to evaluate, assess, and dates. If you’d like to get involved improve all systems within our and be a part of one of the comorganization. Ensure timely and mittees, please feel free to contact concise communication to staff us at 763.792.6010. and stakeholders. Together, we can continue the 5. Professional development great traditions at Centennial and (balance wellness vs. relebuild new ones for generations to vance, efﬁciency, and inclusiveness). Continue to utilize our come. Thanks for all you do. WE ARE CENTENNIAL! current professional development model while incorporating more Brian Dietz is Superintendent of voice in the process for all stakeCentennial Public Schools. holders.

In November, the Centennial School District embarked in Strategic Planning with the goal being setting a course of success for the future.

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DECEMBER 20, 2016

Morris twins salute the school where hoops took them: West Point BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

with military regimen. I can relate to the hardships they’ve had to endure (at West Point). The rewards will outweigh the tremendous amount of pressure.” Amundsen added that Daizjah and Destinee were a joy to coach, hard-workers who never complained and fierce competitors who “trained religiously.” They conversed with him at a level beyond most kids. “They are awesome young adults. I still keep in touch with them.” Army has a good basketball program, too. The Black Knights were 29-3 last year, won the Patriot League championship, and qualified for the NCAA tournament last year. Both played in every game. Army is 8-2 this year. Destinee is averaging 8 points including a 17-point game in a win over Air Force. Daizjah averages 4 points and her career high was 14 points in a win over Fairleigh Dickinson. Both average 22 to 23 minutes of floor time each game. At Centennial, both were all-NWSC picks twice in their careers. Daizjah once made 41 straight free shots, and holds team records for steals (118 in a season, 271 in career) and career free throw percentage (8). Daizjah averaged 15 points and Destiny 8 points and 3.5 assists their senior year when the Cougars were 23-6 and played in the state tournament. The 5-foot-7 duo — determined to be a “package deal” — was recruited by 20 to 25 Division I schools and visited North Dakota State, Georgia State, Princeton and West Point.

Sara Stapleton Centennial basketball s chosen by press staf *Athlete f

Athlete

of the

Week*

Former Centennial basketball stars — and future U.S. Army officers — Daizjah and Destinee Morris made their first collegiate home-state appearance recently as junior guards on the West Point team. Destinee said it was a pretty awesome experience after Army lost to the Minnesota Gophers 70-52 on Dec. 8 with their own hometown gallery of friends and relatives cheering for them at Williams Arena. Destinee, who comes off the bench, drilled 12 points, all on three-pointers, and made two steals against the Gophers. Daizhah, who’s a starter but scores less than her sister, logged three points and one steal. Daizhah commented on how “crazy” it was to play against the Gophers after watching them several times on the same floor while in high school. The twins had never given West Point a thought, and didn’t even know what it was, in high school, before a Black Knight assistant coach showed up at Centennial three years ago. They found themselves intrigued by the alma mater of Dwight Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur, Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis, and thousands of other military leaders. The discipline, rigors, structure and academic standards described to them by the recruiter, seemed like exciting challenges, as was the opportunity to serve in the Army as officers. Daizjah said they love it and can’t wait to see where the opportunity brings them in the future. Cadets have the option to leave after two years but the Morris twins did not consider that. West Point graduates are committed to a minimum of five years active duty and three years in reserves. Daizjah told North Star Girls Hoops that it’s “hard to beat a guaranteed paying job after graduation.” Destinee said she wants to be an Army doctor. Greg Amundsen, who coached the Morris twins at Centennial, is a retired Lieutenant Colonel. He saw military bearing in them even as prep basketball players. SUBMITTED “Everything was ‘yes sir, no sir,’ ” Daizjah (left) and Destinee Morris pose with Amundsen said. “Their dad was in the a friend at a West Point function. Air Force, so they were very familiar

Sara Stapleton, 6-foot3 sophomore center, led Centennial’s 61-28 victory over Blaine with 21 points and 12 rebounds, shooting 9-for-18 on ﬁeld goals, and 3-for-4 at the line. On a very balanced 6-0 team ranked No. 3 in the state, she leads with 12 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. She scored 7.2 ppg as a freshman. Minnesota’s #1 Volume Toyota Dealer! Per Toyota Motor Sale USA 2015

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Cougar soccer players celebrated a goal at the state tournament, where they finished the season as unbeaten champions

Trio of Cougar state champs head list of top 2016 sports tales The first three picks are easy, in choosing Centennial’s top five sports stories for the calendar year 2016. That’s because “state champion” is attached to two Cougar teams and one individual. The Cougar girls soccer team reached state for the sixth time, reached the finals for the first time, and brought home the trophy, beating Rosemount 2-1 in the finals with Tessa Trettel delivering both goals, in the Vikings' new stadium. All-tourney picks were Trettel, Anna Sveiven, Olivia Lovick and Meghan Wilson and Ashley Ebeling led with 21 goals. The Cougars, coached by Ginger Flohaug, entered state as the lone unbeaten (although seeded only fifth) and finished 18-0-2. The Cougar VFW team rolled to the state championship, capped by two victories over Foley in the state finals at Fergus Falls with Casey Lieser, Alex

Phillips and Jake Stein pitching. They were coached by Michael Diggins, a CHS alum who finished his college football career as a running back at WisconsinLacrosse in the fall. Jake Bergeland was state wrestling champion at 132 pounds as a junior, finishing 41-4, capped by 5-4 and 6-5 wins the last two rounds at the state tournament. He then signed with the Gophers. Another wrestler, Emily Shilson, captured a Pan Am Games women’s gold medal with Team USA in Peru, and won USA Wrestling nationals as well. She is ranked No. 9 in the state as the Cougar boys team’s 103-pounder. Rounding out the top five stories is hockey star Gabbie Hughes, pushing past the 100-goal mark early in her junior season after finishing her sophomore year in March with a metro-area-leading 46 goals.

Cougars swimmers topple Knights BY BRIAN POELLINGER SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

The Centennial Cougar swim and dive team beat the Irondale Knights on Dec. 15 by a score of 53 to 48. The Cougars are now 2-0 in conference dual meets. In the 200 Medley relay, the cougars placed second (Lucas Baufield, Ivan Newham, Alex Poellinger, Skye Matson) and third (Jonah Calson, Reece Gulbrandson, Matt Weige, Lev Deshitsa). Next, the team took first (Poellinger) and fourth (L Deshitsa) in the 200 freestyle. The competition was close throughout the evening. Centennial placed second (Newham) and fourth (Calson) in the 200 IM. The 50 free sprint yielded first (Baufield) and third

(Matson). The cougars swept the diving portion of the meet placing first (Riley McNamara) and second (Alberto Lopez Benito). The swim competition continued with the 100 fly with the cougars placing second (Wiege) and third (Dema Deshitsa). In the 100 free the cougars won second (Baufield) and fourth (L Deshitsa). In the 500 free Centennial placed first (Poellinger) and third (Matt Anbro) The Cougars (Matson, L Deshitsa, Poellinger, Baufield) celebrated their 200 free relay win setting a new school best time dropping nearly 3 seconds. The team also won third place (Charlie Swanson, Newham, Charlie Sylvester, Wiege). In the final events,

Centennial placed second (Carlson) and fourth (Matson) in the 100 back, first (Newham) and third (Gulbrandson) in the 100 breast and completed the evening with second (Wiege, Swanson, Carlson, Gulbrandson) and fourth (Ethan Andersen, Spencer Schippel, Michael Liebgott, D Deshitsa) in the 400 free relay. Centennial also competed at the Bengal Invite at Northdale pool on Saturday December 17. The team took fourth place with nine metro teams competing. The Cougars will compete next at Anoka on Tuesday, Dec. 20 and then at the Grand Rapids Invitation on Tuesday, Dec. 27.

SPORTS BRIEFS

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Cougar skaters trip Andover but lose to Elks

Wresters compete in Minnesota Christmas classic

No. 7 ranked Centennial girls hockey beat Andover 3-1 but lost to No. 6 Elk River 3-2 in conference duels last week. Maija Almich, Hailee Berg and Hannah Beckman scored for the Cougars (7-3) against Andover and Kristen Peck made 20 saves. The Cougars were averaging 7 goals before running some stout defenses against Champlin Park (3-2 win), Andover and the Elks.

The Centennial wrestlers placed 22nd of 34 teams in the Minnesota Christmas Classic in Rochester, an annual multistate tournament. Jake Bergeland (11-1) was runner-up at 138 pounds, losing in a duel of unbeatens to Anoka’s Tyler Eischens 4-2 in the finals. Tyler Shilson placed third at 145 and Justin Mohlin seventh at 220.

DECEMBER 20, 2016

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Holiday Worship Celebrate Christmas with us! December 24th

Gethsemane UMC Celebrates Christmas! You are welcome here! Christmas Eve Service Saturday, December 24th at 7:00 pm Candlelight, Carols & Communion The Best Gift Ever Sunday, December 25th at 10:30am Worship with Carols & Stories

Christmas Eve - 4:00 & 11:00 pm

December 25th Christmas Day - 10:30 am

Gethsemane United Methodist Church

#JSDI 4USFFU -JOP -BLFT t www.livingwaterslutheran.org

7330 Lake Drive, Lino Lakes, MN umcgethsemane@comcast.net • www.gum.church (651)784-7667

Our Savior’s Lutheran Church

Christmas Worship Schedule Christmas Eve Worship 11:00 AM Children’s Worship 3:00 PM Family Worship Traditional Worship and Music with Holy Communion. 4:30 PM Candlelight Worship with Holy Communion. Music by Cornerstone. 10:00 PM Candlelight Worship with Holy Communion. Traditional Music of piano and organ.

Christmas Day Worship 10:00 AM Carol Worship with Holy Communion

New Year’s Day Worship 10:00 AM Carol Worship with Holy Communion

9185 Lexington Ave. N, Circle Pines, MN oursaviorsonline.org

Christmas Eve Masses Saturday, December 24 4:00 pm and 10:00 pm

Christmas Day Mass Sunday, December 25 10:00 am

We Welcome You Back Home This Christmas 171 Elm Street, Lino Lakes www.mystjoes.org 651-784-3015

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Breakfast with Santa

TAYA BANJAC | SUBMITTED

Attendees make elves on the shelf at the event.

TAYA BANJAC | SUBMITTED

Families take photos with Santa at the Breakfast with Santa event at the Lino Lakes Senior Center Sunday, Dec. 18.

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Miss Lino Lakes Ambassador Olivia Anizor helps kids decorate cookies at the event.

Holiday Worship CHRISTMAS AT ST. ANDREW’S

All are welcome. Join us as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Christmas Eve Worship Contemporary Worship 1 & 5 p.m. * N S EW

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Family Worship 2, 3 & 4 p.m. Candlelight Service 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, & 11 p.m.

Christmas Day Worship * ONE SUNDAY

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11 a.m.

900 Stillwater Road, Mahtomedi 651-426-3261 www.saintandrews.org

DECEMBER 20, 2016

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Lights, inflatables and more