Quad sweet Quad

Let’s be honest, the Quad Area is not a tourist hot spot. We don’t have any significant natural wonders or historic landmarks, no bustling downtown or big draws. And that’s okay! As summer gets in full swing many are making plans to take some sort of a trip. Exploring the state, country or world is fantastic but at some point, even on a memorable trip, you look forward to going home. Home is what we do best in the Quad Area.

While we may not have anything Travel Channel worthy, what we do have makes this a great place to call home. We have beautiful parks, safe communities, high-ranking schools, employment options and more and that’s why the Quad Area is home to over 30,000 residents.

People who care are what make a community special. I’m fortunate in my role with the chamber to get a front-row seat to witness those people in action. The chamber works with the Centennial School District, city leadership, churches and nonprofit organizations where everyone

• Limited to 350 words.

• Submissions must Include a full name, address and daytime phone number for verification.

• Letter writers must live, work or have another connection to Press Publications coverage area.

• Letter writers are limited to

Carter C. Johnson ...........................Publisher is working to enrich our community.

If you’d like to play a role in that I’d encourage you to look into volunteer opportunities as everyone is looking for engaged community members. We’ve partnered with the Chain of Lakes Rotary and the local Lions Clubs, both groups offer different opportunities but at their core, they’re on a mission to serve and they’d love to get more people involved.

With that said, I’d also like to challenge you to explore the Quad Area. Have you tried all of the great local restaurants? Paddled a local lake? Taken in the waterski show? Visited the Wargo Nature Center? Summer is the perfect time to explore your community.

Another way to make the most of the summer and enjoy your area is by taking part in local festivals. Festival season is upon us and Blue Heron Days and Fete Des Lacs are just around the corner. Make a point to take in what these festivals have to offer!

Centerville celebrates Fete Des Lacs July 11–16 and Lino Lakes holds Blue Heron Days Aug. 17-20. As part of each, the Quad Area Chamber holds business expos on July 15 and Aug. 17 to help showcase local businesses and artisans. For all of the details visit quadchamber.org and look under events.

In addition to all of these fun activities, our area has some fun places to work. When Fairview vacated their location in Lino Lakes I was curious what that space would become. Recently, I was able to meet with the new owners and tour both Renstrom Dental Studio and Thielen & Green Architecture + Design. The space has completely transformed from a typical clinic to upscale, modern offices. Dozens of people are employed in a variety of hightech positions and is exciting to see how things evolve.

The chamber offers residents and businesses opportunities to come together. We host Lunch & Learns, Nosh & Network Happy Hour, ribbon cuttings, Sip & Learn for Seniors, and more, follow the chamber’s social media to see what’s #coolinthequad and scan this QR code to view the community calendar!

The Quad Area is a great place to call home and we’re richer together!

QUAD COMMUNITY PRESS | LETTER GUIDELINES

six letters per year and at least four weeks must lapse between publication. Exceptions may be made for rebuttal letters.

• Due to space limitations, letters that don’t address local issues are not guaranteed publication.

• Repeat letters by the same writer about the same subject matter will not be published.

• Submissions containing libelous or derogatory statements will not be published.

• Submissions containing facts not previously published in the Press must be accompanied by factual verification.

• All letters are subject to editing.

• Deadline is 5 p.m. Wednesday of the week prior to publication.

• To submit a letter, e-mail it to quadnews@presspubs.com, fax it to 651-429-1242 or mail or deliver it to:

Every year, it is a tradition of the Quad Community Press to feature the student speeches from Centennial High School’s commencement ceremony. This year’s speeches were given by graduating seniors Nicole Kammer, Ismail Elmi, Naasifaayee Bula and Trevor Frederickson.

Nicole Kammer

Good afternoon fellow graduates, as we sit here today, preparing for the next chapter of our adventure, it is hard not to reflect on the experiences that have shaped me into the person I am today. Looking back, it's amazing to see how the seemingly trivial lessons we learned when we were young, impact us now.

One of the very first things we all learned was how to play nice with others. How we need to play nice together; clean up, clean up, everybody do your share; and that hitting is bad. The crazy thing is that we still are learning the same thing. We have to interact with so many people daily and work together with them. One of the hardest things for me when I was younger was learning how to stop talking. Many of my report cards are filled with “Nicole is a delight to have in class, but she needs to work on keeping her words to herself.” As I got older, though, I got better at listening to others. It has been one of the best lessons I have learned. Being able to listen to my friends and peers has allowed me to build strong relationships and connections.

Many of us have that childhood show that has given us so many fond memories. For me, that was “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.” One of the most impactful lessons I learned from Mr. Rogers was the value of your emotions. He consistently normalized feeling many different emotions that can be confusing for kids. I have taken his words to heart a lot more as I have grown older. “Being emotional” is often perceived as a weakness in society now, and I have been told many times throughout my life, both as a child and now, that I am “too emotional.” I have begun to learn, though, that when you suppress your emotions, it can cause a lot more harm than good. Graduating is a scary thing. We are all moving onto our journeys, and through that, we will lose some really amazing friends, but we will also gain more amazing friends. I want all of you to keep in mind, through all of this, that whatever your feelings are, sadness, excitement, nervousness, or multiple at the same time, they are valid. You have every right to feel however you feel. And your friends and family have the right to feel how they feel, too.

Overall, even though it was long ago, all of those early life lessons are just as relevant today. Working with others and being successful requires you to be respectful to others. Going on this journey of life after Centennial, we all have to learn who we are and what makes us, us. I have full confidence that all of us will succeed with the tools we have been given. It just goes to show how important the foundation we build in our early years truly is.

To quote Henrietta the Cat from Mr. Rogers, “Meow, meow, meow, meow, you are valid, meow, meow.”

Ismail Elmi

Perseverance is the continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition. But it’s much more than that. Perseverance is having the energy, the courage, the mental and physical strength, to keep pushing forward, even with all of the odds against you. Perseverance is knowing that no matter what happens, you can’t give up. I’ve been blessed with being able to come up onto this stage to speak, so I’d like to tell you guys about my own personal struggle with perseverance.

Back in December, I came home from a long day at school to see my dad on the living room floor. When I asked what happened, my stepmom revealed that my dad got into a car accident at work, completely totaling the car. Now at this point my dad was fine, just some muscle aches and whatnot, but it scared the soul out of me. Just the idea that I could’ve lost my dad made me sick to my stomach, but it seemed he was okay and we put it off to the side.

Fast forward to finals week, I come home after the first day of tests and again, I see my dad, laying on the floor. I was told he was throwing up all day and had to come home from work. I took him to the ER that night and they let us know they found blood leaking in the inside of his head. My dad was going to need brain surgery, and I honestly couldn’t say anything but let out some tears. Somehow, I had to make it through finals while all my thoughts and fears were about my father.

Thankfully the surgery went well. However, a month later he was in the ER having to have brain surgery again, and I couldn’t handle it anymore. Three times in three months I dealt with the possibility of losing my dad, and it was taking a toll.

I had already lost my mom to leukemia 10 years ago, and I just couldn’t lose the one person who was there with me throughout all of my good and bad times. My mom passed a month before she could even see my older brother graduate, you know?, but my dad and I were determined that he see me walk. And he did. Dad pushed through. And he is here listening to me give this speech right now.

I bring up the things I went through because everyone in this class all goes through their own personal struggles that no else knows, yet they pushed through and got here to this amazing milestone. And to be honest, it won’t get easier from here. Life will always be tough, you’re gonna lose loved ones, you're gonna lose friendships, you will constantly go through pain. But you have to keep pushing, you have to persevere. Because if you don’t do it, who else will do it for you? Don’t let everything you worked for go to waste, be the most successful you can be, honestly bro, JUST BE LIKE THAT, and you’ll do just fine.

Naasifaayee

Bula

Hello, parents/friends/faculty and the students of the class of 2023. After four years, we have finally gotten to the commencement of our high school journey. Firstly, I want to thank everyone in this room that has supported these graduates to get them to this point. Without your guidance and input, we would not be able to walk in front of you all today. To the students, if no one has told you this yet I am proud that you are here, in this room today. No matter if it was academic, social, or personal I know that you have at least struggled once in these four years but in the end, you are here with a diploma to show for it. So, enjoy this moment because special days like this should not be taken for granted.

As a child this day felt so far off. It was something that was so distant that it felt like it would never happen. But now it’s here and it feels weird to accept. A second ago I was learning how to type with home row but now I'm preparing essays to go to college. And I’m wondering where did the time go. I was supposed to do so many things and be so many things. But I now just feel like a tall child with a lot more responsibilities, and nothing to show for the time I lost.

Throughout the span from childhood to graduation I was always waiting for the next thing. For the next class, the next day, the next year. All the things that would get me closer to the end. Always feeling what I was and had, wasn’t good enough so I wanted more. That I had to do more to prove to myself that I was enough.

Recently I read a letter that I wrote in my seventh grade English class for my senior self. I had asked myself if I had done all the things I wanted to accomplish.

From “if I was super rich or had multiple boyfriends.” But in the end of my letter, I wrote “that even if you’re not doing all these, I’m still so proud of you.” Even when I didn’t feel enough or felt inadequate, still getting to this point makes me special and my younger self knew that before I did.

Now try to look at the time passed as the time I’ve gained. That I was learning to become a better me. Even if I feel just as clueless as I was before, still make so many mistakes, still type as slowly as I did in third grade, I still do things that I cringe at later. I was growing, and still am. I will keep making mistakes. Saying the right things and the wrong things. But you shouldn't look at this time as negative, but us becoming more of our identity.

So, I stand in front of you today proudly in my own identity. As an Oromo American, to be able to walk and receive my diploma proudly while wearing my nation’s flag. As a graduate, that has finally finished so many years of schooling. And

SEE CENTENNIAL GRADS, PAGE 9