Hopkins Update - 2023 Graduation

AVID scholars honored at end-ofyear celebration

Hopkins Graduates Embrace Individuality as They Enter into Bright Futures

This year, 44 scholars graduated from AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination). They were honored on May 24 at Hopkins High School. Each AVID scholar shared where they were going to college and gave a flower to a teacher who had made a positive impact on them.

AVID is a national program that helps ensure students who are underrepresented in colleges and universities have the skills and selfdetermination they need to become college bound.

Celebrating our 2023 retirees!

This year, 19 staff members retired from Hopkins Public Schools. These outstanding employees represent all corners of our organization and collectively provided 464 years of service.

More information about our esteemed retirees can be found on our website: HopkinsSchools.org/ district/end-of-year-2023

The Class of 2023 is made up of 486 seniors with unique backgrounds, talents, passions, and cultures. On June 6, these seniors walked across the stage at Maturi Pavilion in Minneapolis into their futures.

This class has endured the difficult years of COVID, witnessed social, political, and racial turmoil tear at our nation’s fabric — all as adolescents. Yet they have persevered through it all and have grown to be confident, kind, and empathetic.

All of the graduates in the Class of 2023 leave a legacy in Hopkins and have a rich story to share. They have accomplished a lot during their time at Hopkins. Some have excelled in AVID, language immersion, and AP courses. Some scholars pursued college level courses and earned college credit through postsecondary options (PSEO). Some of our graduates earned a two-year college associate degree before completing their high school journey.

Hopkins students have balanced sports, music, theater, DECA, and culinary arts courses.

IN THE DATES COMMUNITY

They were enrolled in the Collaborative Lab School and VirtualEDU. And some advocated at School Board meetings and the state legislature. In her commencement address to the graduates, Superintendent Dr. Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed encouraged Hopkins scholars to “embrace your individuality and follow your unique path.” Many of them plan to stay in the Midwest to attend local schools like the University of Minnesota, University of St. Thomas, Iowa State University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Others will travel further to attend Drake, DePaul, Duke, NYU, Stanford, UCLA, and more. Another group of graduates will be moving abroad to study internationally or work as Chinese or Spanish language interpreters. Scholars have also chosen to head into the military, enter the workforce, or take a gap year.

Every single graduate has a story worth sharing. Here are just a few snapshots of what our graduates will be doing and what stands out to them about high school.

August Kindergarten Playground Nights

Join us for a fun event at your child's school. Meet other families and school staff before the start of the school year. bit.ly/3NdyLzJ

The Class of 2023 celebrates the culmination of their high school journey as they embrace a memorable graduation and continue on to their next adventure.

Maya Bozicevich spent her high school career embracing her passion for making a difference. Through her role in Student Council, she has helped build community by planning activities to get students excited about high school. She also advocated for reproductive equity through her involvement with Hopkins High School for Choice. She plans to study political science and public health at Occidental College in California.

Alejandro Vega has a passion for music with an interest in a variety of areas. He has been involved in Jazz Ensemble, Digital Arts Club, and the Philosophy Club. Alejandro plans to attend the University of St. Thomas, creating a new major combining computer science, digital media arts, and composition.

Rhys Vagle has spent his high school career as a student athlete. His passion for track and football led him to become captain of both teams.

He has also been involved with American Sign Language which he is excited to continue to grow and use to connect with classmates in college. Rhys looks forward to attending Iowa State University in the fall where he will major in mechanical engineering.

Ellie Swanson came to the United States in 2016. She worked hard to learn a new language and fully immerse herself in her new surroundings. She recently went to state with the Adapted Bowling team. Next year, she will join the Transition Plus program.

Kalista Martin has been part of the AVID program since eighth grade.

The college readiness program helps students navigate the college application process. Kalista discovered her interest for interior design through a class in Hopkins, and that influenced her college decision for next year. She plans to attend the Academy of Art University in San Francisco where she will major in architecture and interior design.

Want to see more faces from the Class of 2023? Check them out on our website!

Hopkins Staff Celebrate the End of a Successful School Year

Hopkins Schools employees were treated to the second-annual all-staff party on June 8 at Hopkins High School. Hundreds of teachers and staff members came together to enjoy tasty treats at food trucks, signature mocktails, music, llamas and puppies, an epic charcuterie table by Fig and Ivy, yard games, and a range of raffle prizes donated by our generous school community. The 2023 retirees were also honored and walked the Royal Blue Carpet as their colleagues cheered them on.

The year-end party debuted last year in response to the extreme pressure the pandemic had put on those working in education. The original idea was to celebrate being together after having spent so much time apart. It's now a cherished Hopkins tradition and the perfect way to celebrate, show appreciation, and kick off the beginning of summer.

The year-end celebration was fully paid for by donations from our sponsors and volunteers: Hopkins Education Foundation, Splash, FVP, Hopkins PTOs, Fielding International, Bix Produce, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, and individual contributions from parents and our community. Thank you for helping make this year a success.

Kalista Martin

Faces from the Class of 2023

Maya Bozicevich

Alejandro Vega

Rhys Vagle

Ellie Swanson

In addition to graduation, the conclusion of the school year showcased many outstanding events and achievements.

DECA students finish strong

Three Hopkins High School scholars finished second at DECA’s International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in April. Meredith Burke, Chloe Buschmann, and Laurel Cox selected Generals Mills for their research project in which they were tasked with developing a strategic plan to adopt a hyper-personalization approach, while providing transparency in how consumer data is collected and used.

Hopkins’ VirtualEDU to add Blended Learning option

VirtualEDU is the first (and only) fully-accredited public school in the state of Minnesota to offer blended learning in addition to its fully online learning pathway. Blended learning is a new option for the 23-24 school year and features two in-person days and three online days per week allowing students to have social interaction with the same group of peers in addition to the flexibility online learning provides.

Four Hopkins seniors named Wallin Scholars

Ahlaam Abdulcadir, Bilal Adam, Violet DuPree-Hebert, and Maya Holmes were recently named Wallin Scholars. A Wallin Scholar is awarded a scholarship to cover their tuition and other expenses in addition to receiving academic support services including tutoring and career counseling. The students are four of 361 scholars to receive the prestigious scholarship.

Hopkins seniors return to the start of their K-12 journey

Seniors were bussed to their former elementary schools where they walked the halls in their caps and gowns. Current students and their former teachers cheered and high-fived the graduates as they passed by. At one school, students were given letters that they wrote to their future selves in sixth grade. A few days later, these seniors crossed the stage, accepted their diplomas, and walked into adulthood.

Hopkins junior named Smith College Book Award winner

Hopkins High School junior Ta’Layha Jerry was recently awarded the Smith College Book Award. The award was presented by Smith College alum Barbara Klaas. The award recognizes an outstanding female junior who exemplifies the academic achievement, leadership qualities, and civic engagement that characterize the thousands of women who have graduated from Smith College.

Julius Eromosele named Middle School Principal of the Year

North Junior High Principal Julius Eromosele was named the Middle School Principal of the Year in the Hennepin County Division by the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals. Eromosele — entering his fourth year serving as North’s principal — prioritizes building strong relationships with students and families and believes in the importance of open communication.

HOPKINS CLASS OF 2023 STATS

486 scholars made up the Hopkins Class of 2023

Seals

and

Merit Finalist 24 Scholars Graduated with Honors 204 Graduated with Honors 14 Summa Cum Laude (cumulative GPA of 4.0) 118 Magna Cum Laude (cumulative GPA of 3.75-3.99) 72 Cum Laude (cumulative GPA of 3.5-3.74)

2

$50,000+ Earned

Earned a GPA of 3.0 or Higher

Can’t get enough of Hopkins Public Schools news? Get daily updates from our Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram feeds. If you don’t already follow us, here’s a snapshot of what you’ve missed since the last newsletter.

HopkinsPublicSchools Hopkins270 HopkinsSchools

HopkinsDecisionDay2023

January-June

Check out Hopkins Decision Day 2023 for details on Hopkins High School Class of 2023's future plans following graduation.

Hopkins Public Schools

June 10

VirtualEDU had an incredible time spreading love, diversity, and inclusivity. It was a joy to connect with the LGBTQ+ community and show our support. Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth and shared their stories.

Hopkins Public Schools

May 15

Hopkins had three teams compete at the state Envirothon at Prairie Wetlands Learning Center. Placing first, second, and third in the regional competition, they earned their spot. Teams showed expertise in aquatics, forestry, wildlife, soils, and climate change.

Hopkins Public Schools

April 26

Students showcased fashion and advocacy during an impactful show for International Denim Day. Led by sophomore Sametta Hill, they used the runway to support survivors of sexual violence. Their creative voices spoke volumes.

Hopkins Public Schools

April 18

Students joined Youth Day at the Capitol. They learned advocacy skills, toured the Capitol, and met with local representatives. They asked insightful questions, and invited the officials for a future listening session in Hopkins.

FROM SUPERINTENDENT

The world needs the Hopkins Class of 2023

Our world is yearning for individuals who are unapologetically themselves while respectful and embracing of others’ divergent ideas. In Hopkins Public Schools, we will deliver to this world problem-solvers who are ready to tackle global issues while maintaining their strong personal identities. These are all traits of the Hopkins graduate — being confident and true to yourself, demonstrating strong perspective-taking, and authentically caring about global issues while simultaneously possessing the critical cognitive skills to address them head on.

On June 6, we sent the Class of 2023 into the world with the skills necessary to make it a better place. Twice a year, Hopkins students take an assessment that measures important social, emotional, and cognitive skills, including those critical for effective problemsolving. According to this Panorama assessment, which has a data pool of over 10 million students, Hopkins students consistently score in the 80-90th percentile in the nation on cultural awareness and action. The Class of 2023 had one of the highest scores of many districts in this particular domain.

If literacy is the currency of power, then cultural awareness and action are the currencies of change. As our young people enter the world, there is no shortage of issues to address. The Class of 2023 represents 486 individuals who are capable of spreading out into different corners of the globe and collaboratively solving problems impacting all of us. They are serving in our military, attending Minnesota colleges and an array of out-of-state universities, and even traveling abroad for fascinating gap-year and career-launching experiences. Visit the Class of 2023 Scholar Wall at Hopkins High School and marvel at all the places our young people will go!

Although graduation is the end of high school, it represents the successful completion of PreK-12 schooling. Preparing our graduates for the world is a systemwide celebration that starts in preschool and continues in elementary and middle school. Hopkins High School serves as the final step for our graduates, but it’s the job of all of us who work in our schools to cultivate students into scholars, and scholars into adults who will thrive in the globe’s diverse environments. Behind every successful graduate are teachers, school staff, parents, and other caregivers who have sacrificed in a myriad of ways to support their young person.

Families and graduates, always remember we are here for you if life gets tough as you head into your future. And… we expect your futures will be bright! On behalf of Hopkins Public Schools, I wish the Class of 2023 an extraordinary and fulfilling life. Thank you to each Hopkins educator and staff member for your contributions to our brilliant 2023 grads.

Have a wonderful summer!

Sincerely,

DR. MHIRIPIRI-REED

CONGRATS GRADS!

MILESTONE MOVE FOR STUDENTS

Students transitioning to middle school and high school represent a special time in Hopkins Public Schools history. They are the last classes to experience either a K-6 elementary model or a 7-9 junior high model and the first to experience a 6-8 middle school and a 9-12 high school.

Elementary schools celebrated this important milestone with graduation ceremonies, student walks, recognition parties, and more. Soon-to-be middle schools celebrated with schoolwide parties and trips to Valleyfair.

Hopkins will be ready to welcome rising Royals to their new buildings at the start of the school year. Check out our Transition Hub web page for all things related to this exciting transition including school start times, student orientation days, and what to expect in the 2023-24 school year.

Have a rising secondary student?

Explore our Transition Hub webpages!