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Food shelf executive director steps down BY CORINNE STREMMEL STAFF WRITER
Hardwork makes dream come true CONTRIBUTED
Sydney Mortenson, a 2014 Centennial High School grad, recently graduated from flight school and now holds the rank of second lieutenant. She currently works at the Minnesota State Army Aviation Office in St. Paul, where she supervises the state’s aviation budget, handles flying mission requests and flies missions as needed. BY ABE WINTER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Her goal was to become an attorney, but that changed. Sydney Mortenson, who grew up in Lino Lakes and graduated from Centennial High School in 2014, went on to earn a degree in political science at the University of Wisconsin-
(Virginia) and Camp Rucker (Alabama). The latter was flight school for 18 months, where she graduated just before Thanksgiving in 2021. It was while training as a paralegal specialist at Fort Ripley that a Blackhawk helicopter caught her interest. “I saw a Blackhawk flying
Madison. She had joined the National Guard as a high school senior, and went to basic training a week after graduating from Centennial. The daughter of Realtors Denise and Daniel Mortenson is now a second lieutenant (2LT), earning that rank after extensive training at Camp Ripley (Minnesota), Camp Lee
SEE FLYING A BLACKHAWK, PAGE 10
After 10 years as executive director of the Centennial Community Food Shelf, Bridget McPhillips has decided to step down. While the food shelf’s bylaws state the executive director can’t serve more than three consecutive terms, McPhillips has acquired some bonus time in her role and has served a little beyond her three allotted terms. During McPhillips’ three terms, the Centennial Community Food Shelf has gone from a small room in Our Savior’s Lutheran Church to a grocery store-style food shelf, which offers a feeling of dignity for guests. The food shelf is currently located in the lower level of Circle Pines City Hall. “One of the things when I fi rst started was that you got a bag of food and you didn’t get to choose any of what was going in it. I always thought that if I were in a situation where I needed food, I would want to choose what I got,” said McPhillips. McPhillips challenged this model throughout her tenure at the food shelf. After the food shelf branched out from Our Savior’s and moved out of the small basement, McPhillips worked to make the food shelf its own nonprofit organization. She also decided to partner with programs like Second Harvest Heartland and food rescue programs from local grocery stores. This way, the food shelf SEE CENTENNIAL COMMUNITY FOOD SHELF, PAGE 11
Centennial High School begins offering language seals, certificates BY SHANNON GRANHOLM MANAGING EDITOR
Centennial High School just started taking advantage of a program that could have a big impact on students’ futures. “We are just getting started, and we are excited about it,” said Bruce Hagemeister, Bilingual Seals Program coordinator and English language teacher. Centennial now offers Minnesota Bilingual Seals
and World Language Certificates to students who show required language competency in speaking, writing, listening and reading in languages other than English. The Learning English for Academic Proficiency and Success (LEAPS) Act was passed in Minnesota in 2014, which allows districts to award bilingual language seals and certificates.
“The (program) is a way of acknowledging students’ knowledge of the language. It’s a way of showing that we value linguistic diversity in our school and community.” Bruce Hagemeister Bilingual Seals Program Coordinator
said. “Not only are the students recognized for something that they have accomplished, but also there is the potential to gain free semester credits at Minnesota state colleges and universities, so they can save money as well.” Spanish teacher Emily Tjaden added, “There are a lot of students who are totally proficient in English but also speak another language at
There are currently 57 languages spoken in Centennial Schools, and around 800 students enrolled in world language courses at the high school. “The (program) is a way of acknowledging students’ knowledge of the language. It’s a way of showing that we value linguistic diversity in our school and in the community,” Hagemeister
SEE LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY, PAGE 15
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