Edina August 2021

EDINA MAGAZINE

HEALING THROUGH

Stu de n ts ’ vir tu al galle r y h e lps sh ap e Edin a ar ts sce n e AUGUST 2021 EDINAMAG.COM edinamag.com

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CONTENTS

AUGUST 2021 “Nobody cares about how much you know until they know how much you care.” —Theodore Roosevelt Read on as we celebrate educators, students and community members who care deeply.

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AUGUST 2021

IN EVERY ISSUE

Editor’s Letter 6 Noteworthy 9 On the Town 37 Gallery 40 Tastemakers 42 Last Glance 48

Call or text 612.280.7983

FEATURED PROPERTY

DEPARTMENTS Wellness 14

Support & Skill Building An integrative approach to mental health.

Perspectives 18

Healing Together Edina Education Fund launches a mental health campaign for local youth.

Scene 20

Education Options The Goddard School in Edina offers additional learning opportunities.

Enlighten 22

PHOTOS: CHRIS EMEOTT, LAURA RAE PHOTOGRAPHY

Leadership Life Skills Creek Valley Elementary leads the way in leadership training.

6519 Creek Drive, Edina 4 bed | 3 bath | 2,575 sq ft | $600,000

FEATURES

24

Post-Pandemic College Admissions University applications may look a bit different in 2021.

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Healing Through Art Students’ virtual gallery help shape Edina arts scene.

Sara Anderson Distinctive Homes is a woman-owned real estate company owned by Sara Anderson, REALTOR®, serving the Twin Cities metro area. Sara understands that every property is unique and believes an individualized approach benefits both a seller and buyer in any real estate transaction.

Contact Sara at 612.280.7983 or sanderson@kw.com.

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s summer meanders into fall and families anticipate a more “normal” education experience for students, we take a look at how caring people helped students learn to cope over the past year; how to discover their strengths and build more robust community connections. Societal circumstances put enormous pressure on people during the pandemic and even the most well-heeled among us were not immune to the stresses that had to be endured. But, what beauty has emerged: A student led public art project (page 26), a mental health awareness campaign for local youth (page 14) and a local nonprofit initiative aimed at providing birthday and graduation cakes to foster children and at-risk youth (page 42).

Although it’s trite to lean into the adage, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going,” it may be close to true, but possibly with this caveat; those feeling “a little tougher” in any given moment, who lend a hand to those feeling “a little less tough” in that same moment, impart strength through empathy and care that can permeate throughout relationships, communities and generations.

I think that’s a lot of what you’ll appreciate about this education themed issue, the earnest desire of local residents, educators and students, everyday people, who see what the needs are, and who are stepping up to help build resources and skills meant to help strengthen individuals and the community.

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Find more stories & photos online. Plus, tag us in your Edina pics!

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On the Cover Shreya Konkimalla, photo by Chris Emeott

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AUGUST 2021

PHOTO: LISA BUTH

DANIEL & JULIE DESROCHERS

VOL. 17 NO. 12 edinamag.com publisher SUSAN ISAY

editor ANGELA JOHNSON

managing editor ANGELA JOHNSON

associate editor HAILEY ALMSTED

copy editor KELLIE DOHERTY

staff writers AVA DIAZ, MADELINE KOPIECKI, SAMANTHA DELEON

editorial interns MEGHAN BISHOP, LAUREN FOLEY, OLIVIA RIVERA

editorial advisory board Jeanne Anselmo, JJ Designs Tina Bohrer, Edina Community Foundation Sarah Dulong, Ron Clark Construction Cheryl Gunness, Edina Community Education Krista Johnson Elizabeth Kriel, Jerry’s Foods Jeff Ohe, Cahill Financial Rebecca Bell-Sorensen Jasmine Brett Stringer Erin Zosel, Sloane’s Beauty Bar

senior managing art director SARAH DOVOLOS

art director ALLISON NOLDEN

lead staff photographer CHRIS EMEOTT

specializing in

CURB APPEAL

print production director BRITTNI DYE

digital production director DEIDRA ANDERSON

project coordinator ANGELA BEISSEL

senior account executives BROOKE BEISE, KATIE FREEMARK, CYNTHIA HAMRE, SARA JOHNSON

Landscaping the Minneapolis lakes area

circulation and marketing KATIE RINGHAND

credit manager

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APRIL MCCAULEY

chief operating officer SUSAN ISAY

chief financial officer BILL NELSON

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NOTEWORTHY local tips, tidbits & insights

ALL THINGS NEW Meet Edina Public Schools’ new superintendent Stacie Stanley.

PHOTO: STACIE STANLEY

BY ANGELA JOHNSON

DR . STACIE STA N L EY is the incoming superintendent of Edina Public Schools. Previously, Stanley was associate superintendent in Eden Prairie.

She’s also worked in the BurnsvilleEagan-Savage school district as director of equity and integrated support services and as director of curriculum, assessment, instruction and support services. She was a principal at two Roseville schools and was a teacher in the East Metro Integration District.

Stanley has a bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the College of St. Catherine and a doctorate of education from Bethel University where she teaches educational measurement and assessment to doctoral students.

What was your favorite subject in school? Math; and since I was good

at mathematics, I was encouraged to become an accountant, but I liked to talk too much. Instead, I came into edu-

cation through occupational therapy and found my love in teaching math as a middle school math teacher.

Describe the purpose of your job.

Building relationships as a connector to bring community members together around a common purpose and ultimately to ensure that kids are learning at a high level in a physically and psychologically safe environment.

What are your hobbies? Reading and

taking walks with my husband of 32 years. I also love spending time with our grandchildren and seeing the world through their eyes.

What books do you remember from school? Like many Minnesota girls,

I grew up loving Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Betsy-Tasy Society. When my children were in school, we loved Why Mosquitos Buzz in People’s Ears.

Who is a hero in your life? My mom,

who is not living right now. She taught me tenacity and to be myself and remain authentic no matter what, which is why I didn’t become an accountant. She also taught me that problems are there to be solved and that I don’t need to have all the answers; that it takes a village and that there are many villages. Her spirit is with me all the time.

What are you most excited for in the upcoming school year? Barring any

unforeseen circumstances, I’m excited for the energy and excitement that come with a more “typical” school year.

Edina is an amazing community and I can’t wait to get to know the teachers and principals that I consistently hear are outstanding.

We wish Stanley and all EPS staff and students a wonderful 2021/22 school year.

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ART

For Your Collection Artwork recommended by the Art Girls.

“Blue skies smiling at me, nothing but blue skies, do I see.” These song lyrics

by Ella Fitzgerald feel so appropriate as we soak in these last days of summer sunshine. This beautiful abstract painting by Minneapolis artist Emily Frank, feels all-encompassing of beach days, summer winds and blue skies all year long.

Contributed by The Art Girls; artgirlsmpls.com

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AUGUST 2021

@art_girls_mpls Art Girls Minneapolis

ARTIST: Emily Frank TITLE: The Secret SCALE: 30x30 Acrylic on Canvas

RE AD

Back to School Author details an 1800s snow day.

Raina and Gerda Olsen were born in Norway in the 1870s. As small children, they immigrated to Nebraska with their parents when their father was given 160 acres of land by the United States Government. In their mid-teens, both girls become schoolteachers in one-room schoolhouses. Raina is a gifted teacher while Gerda struggles to emulate her older sister. She feels like she lives in Raina’s shadow. Each sister boards with a farm family, which for Gerda is also a struggle.

On January 12, 1888, after weeks of horribly cold weather, the morning breaks to an uptick in temperature.

The young teachers and their students leave behind their coats and mittens to walk the miles to school in shawls and sweaters. In her novel The Children’s Blizzard, Melanie Benjamin captures the haunting chronology of events of that day and how it was experienced by her characters: teachers, children, Omaha newspapermen and bartenders. The land itself becomes a character. This is an incredible book, deeply researched and wonderful reading.

Contributed by Maureen Millea Smith, a librarian at the Edina Library and a Minnesota Book Award-winning novelist.

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C I T I Z E N OF E D I N A

AWARDS

Edina Rotary Supports Educational Achievement College scholarships were awarded to two class of 2021 EHS graduates.

Emphasis on Education

For more information about the Rotary Club of Edina’s scholarship program, contact Jennifer Bennerotte at jbennerotte@edinarotary.org

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AUGUST 2021

Maxine Wallin is one of Edina’s foremost community philanthropists.

A librarian by training, she values education and founded Wallin Education Partners with her husband Win in 1992. What started as a scholarship program for 14 students has grown into a nonprofit offering scholarships with a support framework, creating a nationally respected college completion program. Uniquely, the first scholarships targeted “C” students because the Wallins recognized that while cost was a barrier to college access, there was also a dearth of scholarships aimed at those who weren’t earning top grades. The focus started at South High School in Minneapolis and now offers scholarships to students from 38 Twin Cities-area high schools.

Wallin valued her time at the University of Minnesota where the family name graces the Wallin Medical Biosciences Building and the Wallin Research Center in the

Andersen Library. With a 75-year span of community philanthropy and volunteerism, she’s won accolades including the Katherine Phelps Lifetime Achievement Award (2013) for her work in the Junior League of Minneapolis; and, along with Win, received the Edgar M. Carlson Award (1997) from Minnesota’s Private Colleges.

Wallin has enjoyed working for a cause, hearing the speeches, attending the breakfasts and serving alongside others on the Edina Community Foundation Board of Directors and on the boards of the Hennepin County Library Foundation, the Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches, Presbyterian Homes, the Hill Monastic Manuscript Library, the Junior League of Minneapolis, Planned Parenthood and the Minnesota Orchestra.

Contributed by the Edina Community Foundation; edinacommunityfoundation.org

PHOTO: EDINA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

Local philanthropist lives out her values.

This past May, the Rotary Club of Edina presented $1,500 scholarships to two Edina High School 2021 graduates Divya Danthuluri and Allison Koester. These Edina grads were shown to exemplify the Rotary motto of “service above self.” They also participated in Rotary programs such as Camp Enterprise, Camp RYLA, fall ethics seminar, Vocational Ethics Day, youth exchange, Edina Rotary Global Scholars or the Interact Club of Edina.

Danthuluri plans to attend the University of Wisconsin to study biomedical engineering or public health and Koester will attend Cornell University to study physics. The scholarships were presented at a local scholarship breakfast organized by the Edina Education Fund.

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“Genießen” The German word for enjoy, savor, relish …

Grüner Veltliner (groo-ner veltlee-ner) is an herbaceous white wine from Austria and if you don’t already love it, summer is a great time to sample it. It’s a no-brainer for folks who turn to Sauvignon Blanc, as they share a brightness and citrus fruit character, almost always being produced in a very dry style.

There are two distinct styles of Grüner Veltliner. One is bright, fresh, peppery and almost spritzy; the other is weighty, almost honeyed and serious. Save the latter for fall and lean into the former at barbecues, picnics and those remaining summer lake days. We love Barbara Ohlzelt Gruner Leader which illustrates its drinkability in liter bottles.

Grüner Veltliner shines with a wide variety of dishes thanks to its spicy character but it reaches a peak paired with the Austrian classic Wiener Schnitzel.

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An integrative approach to mental health.

BY ANGELA JOHNSON

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AUGUST 2021

PHOTO BY TJ TURNER PHOTOGRAPHY

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D E PA R T M E N T S » W E L L N E S S

Macarena Corral

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WHEN I DISCOVERED the insightful and positive Instagram posts of locally based Center for Collaborative Health (CCH), I reached out, wanting to learn more about their work. CCH consists of a multi-disciplinary team of experts seeking to provide a holistic approach to mental health. Co-founder Macarena Corral, PsyD, LP, RYT, is a clinical psychologist who believes achieving and maintaining good mental health is about more than talking about what’s going on in your life, or about trauma, with an expectation that those talks will make everything “magically” better. By providing access to experts in things like sleep issues, yoga, acupuncture, nutrition and trauma sensitive strength training, alongside the clinic’s five therapists, Corral believes positive outcomes can be quicker and longer lasting. The CCH website states a core belief that people are resilient and just need some extra support and new skills to live healthier lives. Some of that positive support can be found in CCH’s Instagram posts, which Corral writes. But, I wanted to dive deeper …

I asked Corral to describe the current state of community mental health. She says, “The pandemic revealed that some people had developed certain coping strategies that became impossible to access as well as a population with no coping skills who were reacting to life and found [the current situation] to be too much stress and now don’t have a way to manage …

Now, many have realized life is short and they need to make changes.”

Corral notes anxiety has been at an alltime high with many people experiencing an existential “mid-life” crisis of sorts, wondering, "What is my life? What changes can I make to live my life to the fullest?"

This was unsurprising to me, but I did wonder, "How does one determine a baseline for good mental health?" Corral says,

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WELLNESS » CONTINUED

The Center for Collaborative Health takes to Instagram to remind people of the importance of mental health.

“It depends on the person, how that person is functioning. A person might have symptoms but are functioning and need only some support. A clinical diagnosis depends on someone’s ability to function, go to work get out of bed or care for their kids, etc.”

I asked about mental health distress

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AUGUST 2021

signals parents of young adults should be attentive to. Overall, Corral suggests watching for isolation, not wanting to talk or be present with the family unit, or any significant changes in mood. She adds, “In adolescence, depression shows up as anger or irritability.”

With pandemic restrictions loosening, Corral sees some re-integration anxiety, even in the most extraverted people. She says, “You may have changed your behavior, and even though you’re vaccinated, you’re still anxious to take off your mask in a restaurant.” She notes children may

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also experience some anxiety about reentering life. “Parents can model how they’re managing and help ease family members back into society in a safe way,” says Corral, adding, “Now that we and our friends have been vaccinated, if asked, ‘Can we hug?’ The answer is, ‘yes.’”

Finally, I asked Corral about resiliency as it relates to what’s typical and normal and what requires intervention.

Basically, when does someone need help? Corral says, “Most people are going to be fine. Time and function are the keys. There will be times you feel down for a few days. This is part of life, but if it continues, that’s when I would say maybe it’s time for you to talk to someone. Is it changing your relationships or how you feel about yourself or how you function at work?”

All this leads back to Corral’s initial inspiration for CCH, how she wondered, "Wouldn’t it be great if people already had some skills to be able to respond to stress, like a type of preventative approach to good mental health?"

That’s the approach at CCH where clients might be asked, “Are you eating in a way that supports good mental health? If you want to be on supplements, are you on the right ones? Are you moving? Or do you live a sedentary life?” Corral thinks integrating positive changes in a supportive environment can be beneficial for many people. And with the recent growth of teletherapy, Corral says, “Access to mental health support is better than it was before.”

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D E PA R T M E N T S » P E R S P E C T I V E S

Karen Gabler

Jeff Jorgensen

Healing Together Edina Education Fund launches a mental health campaign for local youth.

BY AVA DIAZ

IN AN EFFORT TO END THE STIGMA SURROUNDING MENTAL HEALTH, Edina Public Schools and the Edina Education Fund partnered to develop a campaign, Heal Together, to raise money to support the whole district. Prioritizing student support for over 8,600 youth, the district implemented its very first K-12 all-school assembly to launch the campaign and bring awareness to the community through a variety of stories,

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PHOTOS BY CHRIS EMOTT

advice and lessons on how to navigate our changed world.

“We just want to recognize that every one of us struggles to some extent with mental health concerns and that is not a dirty word nor a sign of weakness,” director of student support services Jeff Jorgensen says. “All that it is, is a state of living and the more we talk about it and the more we learn how to manage it, the better off we are going to be.”

As a step in the Edina Education

Fund’s two-year plan, co-chair Karen Gabler says the assembly was a way to introduce the conversation and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.

“Our goal in doing that was to hopefully drive home the message to students and families that mental health is not someone else’s problem and doesn’t just happen to other people,” she says. “Mental health is a part of all of us.”

For the event, every classroom in the district showed a 15-minute video featur-

ing superintendent John Schultz, corresponding principals, health professionals and students from a variety of ages speaking on how they care for their mental health and the resources that are available for them. High school students had an opportunity to hear from Edina resident and Vikings punter Britton Colquitt, and watched a performance from singer Kat Perkins, who was a finalist on NBC’s The Voice. Secondary students were addressed by former Edina graduate, comedian, writer and actor Tommy Ryman. “We wanted to do this to show that [mental health] is something that everyone of us has and needs to take care of,” Gabler says about the choice to include such a wide range of speakers in the assembly.

Prior to the pandemic, the Edina Education Fund had begun working with the district to implement accessible resources to meet the social and emotional needs of students. They brought in mental health and wellness professionals from Fraser, a Minnesota provider of mental health services, in every school across the district, hired a chemical health dependency therapist at the high school and developed a partnership Park Nicollet’s Growing Through Grief program to provide grief counselors in schools for students and their families. But the work does not stop there.

With a goal of raising $200,000 for this campaign, the anticipated funds will go toward providing summer support staff, more mental health providers within the schools and district-wide staff training to meet the social and emotional needs of students. “It is not just about hiring more therapists for students, it’s about having multiple areas of support and increasing the degree of training of our existing staff to better serve the students in our community,” Jorgensen says.

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D E PA R T M E N T S » S C E N E

Education Options The Goddard School in Edina offers additional learning opportunities.

ALEXANDRA AND ISAAC KRUEGE ARE PARENTS of a 2-year-old daughter enrolled in the toddler room at the Goddard School in Edina. “Our daughter comes home happy and tells us all sorts of different stories each day that she is there. The teachers care and are always smiling and happy to see the children. We cannot say enough about how happy we are to have our daughter at this school,” the Krueges say.

The Goddard School opened in Edina in September 2020. Hetal Agrawal is the onsite owner and works alongside an education director. The school is a franchisor of Goddard Systems, meaning Agrawal is part of a network of Goddard Schools across the country and receives guidance from other franchise owners, their corporate partners and an Educational Advisory Board.

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AUGUST 2021

The Edina Goddard School provides programming for children from 6 weeks to 12 years old with both school-year and summer programs.

For children already in school, Goddard offers a space for them to participate in online learning while still being in a classroom. Teachers at the Goddard School help students stay on track with their virtual classes, help with homework and even provide additional activities. “In their down time, they’re doing group activities, they’re playing Uno, building things,” Agrawal says. “[Our teacher] did a science experiment this week with candy canes!”

Though the opening of the Edina location coincided with the pandemic, the Krueges say they were particularly impressed with the COVID response from the school. Masking, sanitizing, tempera-

ture monitoring and social distancing protocols eased any worries they had.

“Every day there is at least one photo of our daughter with her new best friend that she has made,” the couple says. “It [was] exciting to see her making these connections during the pandemic when so many socialization opportunities [were] closed.”

Agrawal says the Goddard School uses a Fun Learning Experience curriculum (F.L.Ex.). This program centers around using fun to encourage learning and development in young children.

Agrawal describes the classroom approach as, “teacher guided and child led.” Each day, activities focus on helping children develop their different skills in fun ways. “We try to cover all of the learning domains: social and emotional development, physical, sensory and cog-

PHOTO: GODDARD SCHOOL

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nitive development,” Agrawal says.

The Krueges say, “Every day the toddler class at Goddard starts the day with the calendar and discusses what day of the month, day of the week and the weather.

A different child gets to put the number on the calendar and our daughter is always excited when it is her turn. They also discuss the weather for the day. On days when she is home, she is always making comments about the sky, the temperature and the wind. It is great to see her little mind expanding from the F.L.Ex. program.”

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D E PA R T M E N T S » E N L I G H T E N

Leadership Life Skills Creek Valley Elementary leads the way in leadership training.

LEADER IN ME WAS FIRST DEVELOPED by a principal and teachers who wanted to teach students life skills alongside academics. With this in mind, Principal Muriel Summers of A.B. Combs Elementary in Raleigh, N.C. turned her failing school into the #1 magnet school in America by implementing FranklinCovey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, along with several other educational practices, into a leadership model for her school.

FranklinCovey later codified

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AUGUST 2021

Summer’s process so other schools could apply the same leadership model.

In Edina, Creek Valley Elementary has become a Leader in Me school; to reinforce and celebrate the seven habits of happy kids and effective people in its classrooms. According to the Leader in Me website, the program is a framework that provides educators with effective practices and tools to teach leadership to every student, create a culture of student empowerment and align systems to drive results in academics.

“Within the space of education, it came from the outside in,” says Scott Anderson, a client partner for the state of Minnesota who works for FranklinCovey, the parent company of Leader in Me. Anderson says Creek Valley Elementary is one out of 5,000 Leader in Me schools in over 50 countries around the globe. He says, at its core, the whole school makes a transformation around leadership and introduces five paradigms for education: everyone can be a leader, everyone has genius, change starts with me, educa-

PHOTO: CREEK VALLEY ELEMENTARY

BY SAMANTHA DELEON

Keeping seniors safe. At home. tors empower learning and develop the whole person – mind, body and spirit.

“When you do this as a whole building, you not only include the teachers, but you include everyone on this together,” says Anderson. As a school slowly commits to this type of language, each school is assigned a coach to help hand-in-hand with the implementation.

Debra Lund works in communications for FranklinCovey and says, “If this is done with fidelity and in a certain way, then the culture grows and the leadership skills of educators and students grow; and if this happens, there are improved academics.” Anderson and Lund believe their role is to make the world a better place. They say if they could summarize what does the Leader in Me means for a school and parent, it’s hope – “we bring hope back into the system.”

Kari Dahlquist, principal of Creek Valley Elementary, school believes the Leader in Me program has helped positively shape the school. She says the program provides a common language used across the building. “Leader in Me provides an intentional focus on student leadership. We embed the habits into our monthly all-school assemblies and students write and perform skits about those habits.” As of last year, all licensed staff at Creek Valley Elementary participated in Leader in Me training.

When it comes down to it, Anderson says, “It’s just one school doing better by kids, families and staff to make the world a better place with more empathy, mutual respect, self-efficacy and hope.”

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P O S T- PA N D E M I C C O L L E G E A D M I S S I O N S U N I V E R S I T Y A P P L I C A T I O N S M AY L O O K A B I T D I F F E R E N T I N 2 0 2 1 .

Planning for college can be an exciting time for families. Touring your dream school, filling out applications and shopping for your dorm are all milestones in the college preparation process. But, like many other things, the pandemic has changed the way students find their perfect university. No need to worry, local certified educational planner, Kate Malczewski from College Connectors in Edina shares some tips to help ensure students and parents are up to date on all things college related.

STA N D I N G O U T F R O M TH E PAC K

N OT A L L C HA N G E IS BAD C HA N G E

The ACT and SAT have been used as common standardized college admission tests for many years, and many students dread the process.

These tests have induced tremendous anxiety, and often a lot of expense, for many prospective college students.

During the pandemic, some universities have dropped standardized testing as an admission requirement, and since there had already been much debate about the fairness and reliability of these tests, these changes may be here to stay. Malczewski says, “What we’re hearing is that [standardized college admission tests like the ACT and SAT] are optional …

I don’t think it’s a passing fad, I think COVID jumpstarted [this trend] which allowed schools to realize they can admit a successful class without a test score.”

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021

As admission requirements have shifted and colleges are looking more at a students’ overall body of work, a wellrounded application can help students stand out from the crowd. But every college is different. Malczewski points out that depending on what a university’s mission is, there are different things looked for in applicants, from interviews, essays, recommendations and all those extra components of an application that are measured to holistically evaluate a student’s abilities. Malczewski suggests looking into what each prospective school requires and then focus on those things for each application. This is especially true with opportunities for students becoming more available now that things are opening once again, opportunities to get back out there in ways that may enhance a college application. Malczewski says, “We can’t change the past, but students can look forward to what opportunities might be opening up.”

DON’T SKIP C L ASS J U ST Y E T

Though colleges are looking more holistically at students, grades still play a key part in any application.

According to Malczewski, there is a renewed interest in students’ overall grades to determine the kind of college student they will become, and by and large, transcripts, coursework grades and rigor are what schools evaluate to determine whether to admit a student. But Malczewski points out that applicants need not worry about the way COVID may have affected transcripts through many schools’ use of pass/fail grading or altered scheduling from hybrid and distance learning since virtually all students’ applications will reflect these changes and colleges are aware of these situations.

Written by Olivia Rivera 51 00 Edina Industrial B lvd . ; 952 .303.36 96; collegeconnectors.com;

Co n g ratu l ati o n s to th e s e l o c a l Co l l e g e Co n n e c to r s stu d ent s o n th e i r a c h i eve m ent a n d u n i ve r s i ty a cce p ta n ce.

PHOTOS: COLLEGE CONNECTORS

MA KI N G U P FOR LOST T I M E

One of the biggest concerns for many students and parents has been the loss of activity time, volunteering and other extracurriculars many students faced due to the pandemic. But Malczewski emphasizes the fact that college applicants are all in the same boat and should not worry about things that may have been missed out on.

She suggests emphasizing on applications the things students were able to achieve with any extra time they may have had while not participating in typical activities. Malczewski says, “Some of the students I have worked with have written about how they have been able to participate in activities in a different way by rethinking the way in which they can connect with people through this season of distance. This is one approach to reworking your application in light of COVID by demonstrating your ability to adapt well to change.”

Malczewski also suggests writing about a hobby students may have picked up during quarantine or something they discovered about themselves during this unique time of reflection.

College Con n ecto rs

FI N DI N G TH E P E R F E C T MATC H

As students and schools adapt to changes brought on by the pandemic, adjustments must be made to reflect and determine the most qualified applicants.

Finding a school that best represents a student’s strengths will help them stand out from the rest.

Malczewski’s final piece of advice is this, “Reflect on who you are as a student and what would be the best fit for you. Don’t try to fit into a specific school; instead look for a place where you know you can thrive for four years.”

Max Opitz

Reed College

Wyat t C h o c h re k

University of Richmond

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H EALING T HROUG H ART Students’ virtual gallery helps

shape Edina arts scene.

Written by Madeline Kopiecki

26

AUGUST 2021

Recent Edina High School graduate Shreya Konkimalla knew she wanted to be on Edina’s Arts and Culture Commission since she heard about it freshman year. Although there are numerous commissions relating to different aspects of the Edina community, Konkimalla says she was drawn to the Arts and Culture Commission due to her love of art.

“I’m not really involved in standard art forms like visual art,” Konkimalla says, “but I do participate in a lot of

activities relating to music and I love writing. So, I thought being a part of the Arts and Culture Commission would be an interesting place because it aligned with a lot of the interests that I already had.”

During her three years on the commission after joining as a sophomore, Konkimalla says that most projects she was involved in had to do with public art in Edina and expanding the definition of what that can mean. “It’s been a long-term goal for us to make

Artist Monica Albiero Joy Title The summer the sky over Minneapolis turned black (then the sun rose brighter than ever) Category Feeling

EDINAMAG.COM

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Shreya Konkimalla

“IT’S BEEN A LONG-TERM GOAL FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A VERY BROAD DEFINITION OF PUBLIC ART, WHICH INCLUDES THINGS LIKE THE PERFORMATIVE ARTS AND SPOKEN WORD.” Shreya Konkimalla

sure that we have a very broad definition of public art, which includes things like the performative arts and spoken word,” Konkimalla says.

In service of this goal, the commission created a three-year plan for public art in Edina. Part of the plan includes a yearly public art event or project for the community, but 2020 posed a unique problem.

“What became really hard was

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AUGUST 2021

after we developed our plan, when the pandemic hit, and we didn’t get to meet in person and we didn’t have meetings for a few months,” Konkimalla says.

Although COVID posed a daunting obstacle, the commission still wanted to get something done. To this end, Konkimalla says she and a few other commissioners developed and proposed the idea of creating a

virtual gallery. This way, community members could still contribute to an event and the commission could fulfill its goal to engage with public art in Edina safely during the pandemic.

The idea for an online gallery grew into one of the 2021 initiatives for the commission, which Konkimalla cochairs with commissioner Lindsay DiLorenzo. “Basically, the idea of the gallery was to provide a space

EDINAMAG.COM

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PHOTO: CHRIS EMEOTT

30

AUGUST 2021

“ CREATING SPACE FOR AN OPEN AND HONEST DIALOGUE ABOUT EXPERIENCES, CHALLENGES, BACKGROUNDS AND HISTORY IS CRUCIAL IN BUILDING AND STRENGTHENING A COHESIVE COMMUNITY.” Lindsay DiLorenzo

Artist Maria Ahrens Title Women’s Day Category Race/ Ethnicity Inclusion

for community members to submit art pieces,” Konkimalla says. “We wanted it to center around a theme, and the theme that we thought of was, ‘From Struggling to Healing,’ because it was a very contentious time when we were thinking about the gallery.”

The idea for the gallery first started to become conceptualized during May and June of 2020, a time of local and international upheaval. “It was following George Floyd’s murder, it was when a bunch of people were struggling with a pandemic, and we wanted to provide

this platform for community members to essentially share their story from struggling to healing or their process to healing with art,” Konkimalla says.

The commission also wanted to highlight the diversity of the Edina community, which gave Konkimalla the idea to bring in another Edina organization to the project, Edina High School’s student-led Mosaic club.

“The reason that we’re doing it with Mosaic is the goal of diversity and inclusion within the gallery,” Konkimalla says.

As a member of Mosaic since her sophomore year,

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Konkimalla knows these goals firsthand. Mosaic is a club that focuses on inclusion and equity in the EHS community.

As part of their club activities, Mosaic hosts yearly cultural events, including a story slam that—similarly to the virtual gallery—opens the floor to community members to share their stories, experiences and identity.

“The objective of this joint partnership between the Arts and Culture Commission and Mosaic is to celebrate all voices and all perspectives through a wide definition of the arts,” says DiLorenzo.

“Creating space for an open and honest dialogue about experiences, challenges, backgrounds and history is crucial in building and strengthening a cohesive community.”

In line with these values of inclusivity, the gallery is open not only to a broad range of mediums but a broad definition of community. Konkimalla explains that anyone who has or had a connection to Edina or has been an Edina resident can contribute to the gallery, which is accepting submissions ranging from traditional visual arts to performance-based art forms such as theater, spoken word, dance and more.

Lindsay DiLorenzo

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AUGUST 2021

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BETTERTOGETHEREDINA.ORG/VIRTUALARTGALLERY

“As we are working hard to broaden the definition of traditional art, we were so encouraged that our first featured pieces in the gallery included performance, painting and writing,” says DiLorenzo. “All of these mediums—and many more—give us all the chance to understand how our neighbors, friends and community members at large have experienced struggle

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AUGUST 2021

and healing over the past year.”

Submissions to the virtual gallery have been open since February 5th, 2021 and will continue to be open until December 31st, 2021. To learn more about the submission process or to explore the experiences already shared by other members of the Edina community, go to bettertogetheredina. org/virtualartgallery.

Artist Lisa Larson Title Confuse-Shun Category Race/ Ethnicity Inclusion

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Five signs your cedar roof may need some TLC 1

Let’s face it. Cedar roofs look great but owning one is a little scary. “Has it been damaged by hail?” “Will it blow off in a storm?” “I hear something chewing up there!” But despite what you may hear, your cedar roof is still one of the most beautiful and long-lasting products on the market. The only catch is you have take care of it.

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That’s where I come in. My free, written estimate includes a thorough analysis of your roof. Bringing over 25 years of experience to the table, I will evaluate its’ condition to determine whether or not maintenance, repairs or replacement is the best option for you. Worst case scenario you get a free inspection from a true expert. Best case, we work our magic on your roof and add years to its lifespan.

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In fact, Kuhl’s Contracting is looked to for the evaluation and restoration of cedar roofs by more insurance companies, home inspectors, realtors and architects than any other company in Minnesota. Not to brag, but we are pretty awesome. Don’t take my word for it. Check out our talents at www.kuhlscontracting.com. Or ask around. We have probably done work for someone you know.

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ON THE TOWN things to see and do in and around Edina

PLANET FRIENDLY BEAUTY New nail studio provides a healthier and eco-conscious experience.

BY OLIVIA RIVERA

PHOTO: LAURA RAE PHOTOGRAPHY

W HEN N ATA L IE BOL D EN A N D KA IT LI N CASP ER discovered the benefits of waterless nail-

care, they decided it was too good to ignore. So, they opened an innovative nail salon in the 50th and France business district called Haven Nail Studio. Bolden says, “From the air you breathe to the products you absorb, Haven is all about creating a healthier-for-you nail salon experience.”

Haven’s breakaway from the traditional means clients get a toxin-free manicure experience that includes the luxurious feel of a classic nail salon but without any harsh chemicals. Plus, they skip the usual water soak in favor of a warm towel cleanse.

“We love the idea that our approach offers a better,

longer lasting result for our clients while also benefitting the planet,” says Casper.

Haven offers a range of options from a “Kiddo Mani” with products safe for the littlest hands to “The Classic Mani” that includes clean exfoliation and polishes that nourish and protect. Haven uses natural, vegan and cruelty free products that are good for your nails and better for the earth—making this local business a guiltfree part of your beauty routine.

Haven Nail Studio; 4948 France Ave. S. 952.417.6097; hello@havennailstudio.com

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O N T H E TOW N »

Compiled by Meghan Bishop, Lauren Foley and Olivia Rivera

Learn

By Doing Edina Community Education offers opportunities to get creative.

Gain some hands-on experience while exploring your creative side as you learn and craft with local artists in this maker series. This class, offered

by Edina Community Education, gives participants opportunities to learn card making, charcuterie board creation, assembling modern jewelry and more.

All Ages. $25-$49. Edina Community Center, 5701 Normandale Road; Registration required and opens August 17th. Classes start September 7th. For more information or to register, visit edina.ce.eleyo.com and search Edina Maker Series or call 952.848.3952

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AUGUST 2021

LO CAL EVEN TS

8 Torchlight Concert Hosted by the John Philip Sousa Memorial Band, the Torchlight Concert features an array of entertainment. Enjoy .25 cent ice cream cones, .05 cent balloons, a magician and Model “T” Fords. All Ages.

Free. 6 p.m. Centennial Lakes Park, 7499 France Ave. S.; edinamn.gov

10 Dollars & Sense: Understand Your Financial Future Daisy Camp empowers women to understand their financial future through their virtual event Dollars & Sense. Topics include property division, budgeting, tax considerations and more. $25 suggested donation; 11:30 a.m.–

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1 p.m. Register online at daisycamp.org

24 Free Kitchen Party: From the Garden

*Offer valid for new Goddard families at the above location only. Some program restrictions apply. Not valid with any other offer. Offer expires 9/30/21. The Goddard Schools are operated by independent franchisees under a license agreement with Goddard Systems, Inc. Programs and ages may vary. Goddard Systems, Inc. program is AdvancED accredited. License #1101037. © Goddard Systems, Inc. 2021

In this free kitchen party, attendees will learn how to make fresh and flavorful dishes, such as summer corn couscous cherry tomato salad. Free.

6–8 p.m. Cutco Kitchen, 7453 France Ave. S. Suite 107; 651.333.4602; cutco.com

AREA EVEN TS

12 Walking with the Woods - Forest Therapy at Fort Snelling State Park Connect with nature through the Japanese practice of shinrin yoku, or forest bathing. Take a guided journey through beautiful trails of Fort Snelling and experience this revitalizing practice. Adults. $28. 9 a.m.–noon.

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To have your event considered: email edinamag@tigeroak.com by the 10th of the month three months prior to publication. Due to the fluidity being experienced in the current environment, please note that some events/dates and even some business operations may have changed since these pages went to print. Please visit affiliated websites for updates.

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GALLERY

YARDS OF YARN PHOTOS BY BLAKE STOLPESTAD

Last spring, artist Blake Stolpestad helped Highlands Elementary School after school program students in kindegarten through fifth grade create a large scale art installation project using yarn. Stolpestad says, “I’ve seen the spark of an artist ignite in these kids as they worked ... It’s quite something to see the community they have created work together to achieve such an ambitious project.”

To have your event considered: send date, time, location, photos and contact information to edinamag@tigeroak.com.

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AUGUST 2021

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TA S T E M A K E R S »

Sprinkle Squad LOCAL NONPROFIT SPREADS LOVE, JOY AND FROSTING.

BY ANGELA JOHNSON

42 AUGUST 2021

PHOTOS BY CHRIS EMEOTT

Helping The Twin Cities Create Families Since 1999

At left: Allison Sundquist and Kim Sabow

RMIA Services Allison Sundquist of Edina discovered For Goodness Cakes in late 2019 while researching ways to combine her passions for baking and volunteering. For Goodness Cakes originated in California and unites nationwide chapters of volunteer bakers who bake and deliver birthday cakes to foster children and at-risk youth. The mission of For Goodness Cakes so excited Sundquist, that she couldn’t help but share what she’d learned with Kim Sabow of Edina one evening at a local cooking club when the two, never having met before, happened to attend on the same night. Sabow had recently launched her youngest off to university and considered the timing perfect to partner with Sundquist and start a Twin Cities chapter of For Goodness Cakes.

Within two months, the duo was on an airplane bound for a For Goodness Cakes chapter summit. They’d been undeterred by an early rebuff from the organization. “We were told they’d already brought in enough agencies,” says Sabow. “But I called the person in charge and said, ‘You want us on your team. You have no idea how good we’ll be.’” She was not wrong.

An initial and immediate requirement was for the women to raise $4,000 in startup costs (licensing fees and funding for volunteer management software). She says, “It’s amazing how people came through to help us raise the money in only eight weeks.”

The organization’s process is to partner with local agencies that work with underserved, under-privileged youth ages 0-24. Partner agencies often

work with children in foster care, young adults aging out of foster care, or are adoption agencies, homeless shelters or agencies that aid young victims of sex trafficking. Sundquist coldcalled pretty much all such agencies in the metro area to offer a partnership with For Goodness Cakes. Then, those partner agencies can make requests for cakes for the children they serve. As chapter leaders, Sundquist and Sabow match those requests with volunteer bakers using the software system funded by their startup and ongoing donations.

Volunteer bakers, dubbed “the Sprinkle Squad,” come from all over the metro, even a few in Western Wisconsin, and have varied baking backgrounds. Some have professional training; others are home cooks who just love to bake. All are hungry to deliver joy to a child, a creative outlet for bakers who desire tangible ways to give back to the community.

(Volunteer bakers don’t typically get to meet the children they bake for; to ensure child safety, volunteers handoff their cakes to For Goodness Cakes’ partner agencies who in turn deliver the requested cakes to the children.)

After months of a pandemicrelated pause on many such services, For Goodness Cakes made its first cake delivery in October 2020. Volunteers, numbering approximately 150, have since delivered over 120 birthday or graduation cakes with many more deliveries planned as the word gets out and partner agencies resume more services.

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TA S T E M A K E R S »

44 AUGUST 2021

“I tell our volunteers to never underestimate the value of what they’re doing. They’re not just delivering a cake. They’re delivering a message to a child that someone cares about them in their community.”

ALLISON SUNDQUIST

mant about food safety. Volunteer bakers must be at least 18 years old (unless partnered with a parent), must participate in an orientation training and must pass a food safety course with 90 percent or better. The organization cannot honor allergen-free cake requests as there is no method of ensuring allergen-free kitchens among its volunteer bakers. Also, throughout the pandemic, volunteer bakers have been required to remain masked throughout any cake baking and delivery.

Volunteer bakers cheerfully comply with safety measures. Some even think nothing of going above and beyond, like driving 30+ minutes to make a cake delivery. Many share their joy along with inspiring photos of their baked cakes on the organization’s social media pages.

Count it all worthwhile when Sundquist and Sabow share feedback from partner agencies. “We’ve had nothing but positive feedback from agencies that are grateful for the collaboration,” says Sundquist.

“One agency we work with is called Common Bond Communities. It was through them [For Goodness Cakes] delivered its first graduation cake for a girl who got her GED. She cried because the cake was so beautiful and because her name was spelled correctly. It has a unique spelling, and many don’t get it right.

It’s just so cool for kids, some whom

EDINAMAG.COM

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TA S T E M A K E R S »

forgoodnesscakes.org/twincities-mn; twincities@forgoodnesscakes.org

46 AUGUST 2021

For Goodness Cakes

@forgoodnesscakestwincities

@FGC_org

have never received a personalized cake to celebrate them. I tell our volunteers to never underestimate the value of what they’re doing.

They’re not just delivering a cake.

They’re delivering a message to a child that someone cares about them in their community.”

Sabow concurs with thoughts on a film she watched about a fellow Luther College grad who, along with his wife, adopted five foster children. In the film, one of the children was in tears after being presented with a first ever birthday cake. The film affirmed for Sabow that, “There are so many children who have never had a birthday cake. I know this is what we need to be doing because it brings joy for these kids.”

These passionate women hope for continued growth of their Twin Cities chapter of For Goodness Cakes by welcoming more partner agencies and volunteer bakers.

The duo is especially hoping for some type of corporate sponsorship or collaboration opportunity.

Sundquist says, “Many of our volunteers use products from local companies like General Mills, Nordic Ware and Land ‘O Lakes.

Any help in partnering with corporate sponsors, companies like these, on a local or national level would be wonderful. We are definitely open to those conversations.”

Ongoing financial donations are also necessary to fund For Goodness Cakes’ Twin Cities operations. “We often tell people, ‘If you can’t bake, donate,’” says Sundquist. Any interested volunteers or donors can learn more by visiting forgoodnesscakes.org/ twincities-mn.

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47

LAST GLANCE

FIRST PLACE

Giggle Eruption

People

Local mom captures a candid moment of joy.

PHOTO BY LEAH STEIDL

W E REGULARLY F EAT U R E photo submissions from our Images of Edina photo contest in the pages of Edina Magazine and online. This month, we asked Leah Steidl to tell us about her 2020 award-winning photograph titled Kindergarten Besties.

Where was the photo taken?

Arneson Acres Park in Edina.

What inspired the shot?

The gals had just gotten their dance costumes and then were told the dance recital was going to be virtual (this was taken last spring). My fellow dance-mom/friend and I decided to let the girls try on their costumes and run around together at Arneson Acres and have an outdoor playdate. I brought my camera to capture of few images of the gals all dressed up.

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AUGUST 2021

What’s your favorite thing about this image?

This moment is 100 percent real and candid. The girls had plopped down on the grass and were entertaining each other and laughing just as care-free kindergartners should!

It was such a weird time with fully-distance everything and their giggles were priceless to me.

How does this photo reflect your feelings about living in Edina?

I love all the parks and green spaces. There are so many amazing spaces in Edina that are just a short drive or bike ride away.

Winners of the 2021 Images of Edina photo contest will be announced this month at edinamag.com

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