By Doug Berg In the 2 1/2 years since I bought da Barge for Mini-School, he has performed superbly. He has hauled Mini-School students to Florida, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and the BWCA. Da Barge has joyfully taken kids to the cities, enabling them to experience such wonderful experiences as Dudley Riggs and the … [Read more…]
The cover design of this issue of Com-Mini-Cations is a modification by Matt McCrady of a caricature done by Mini-School parent Judy Richard (Matt’s Richard’s mom). Judy and the Mini-School Parent Support Group presented each member of the staff with a framed copy of her work at Recognition Night last spring. You will find Judy’s … [Read more…]
Tim Lindquist — mid 80’s — visited me this summer. He’s nearing the end of his hitch in the navy. Tim has been stationed much of the time in New Zealand. Jodie Holmgren — mid 80’s — married to Dan Deikel, also a former Mini-Schooler. I see Jodie working out at the Marsh. Carl Schmidt … [Read more…]
By Doug Berg The 23rd year of Mini-School is well underway. As is true every year, there are changes—some dramatic, some subtle. Yet the over-riding goal of Mini-School remains the same as it has been since day one—to help kids become the best they can holistically be—intellectually, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Mini-School is up for … [Read more…]
By Doug Berg Jane Garneau, long-time employee at Minnetonka High School, is retiring at the end of this year. Jane, even before her employment at MHS, had a history of reaching out, supporting, and helping needy kids in the Minnetonka community. Since many of these kids turned out to be Mini-Schoolers, Jane’s involvement with Mini-School, … [Read more…]
By Doug Berg The 22nd year of the Mini-School Program is coming to a close. We definitely have a history and a tradition. Old students call us weekly, checking up on the program, letting us know how they are doing, asking for advice. Just the other day Marine Corps. Lt. Corporal Don (Howdy) Doty stopped … [Read more…]
By Doug Berg There is an old cliché about “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Over 20 years the world, the country, the Minnetonka Community, and Minnetonka High School have changed dramatically–a Rip Van Winkle would think he was on another planet. Mini-School has changed too, but through 20 years the … [Read more…]
By Doug Berg 1990 marks the twentieth year of Mini-School. 1990 also marks another milestone–the retirement of Curtis J. Anderson as Assistant Principal of Minnetonka High School. Administrators come and administrators go, but C.J. has been the one constant through all 20 years of Mini-School. He helped the program through its early years, he’s criticized … [Read more…]
By Doug Berg The Sunday magazine section of the May 13, 1990, Minneapolis Star & Tribune devoted its cover story to Melissa Quigley, one of the top women climbers in the nation and Mini-School graduate. It was a thorough, excellent article which chronicled Melissa’s development into a “star” in her sport. The article also points … [Read more…]
By Rhett Rasmussen and Doug Berg From April 24th to May 4th a Mini-School group of 9 people took a canoe trip on the Buffalo River in the backwoods of the Ozark Mountains in northern Arkansas. The group consisted of: students–Chris (Odie) O’Dell, Rob (alum) Stundahl, Greg (Treatment) Anderson, Karl Rehpohl, Brent Thompson, Jarrett Harrington, … [Read more…]