Royalton High School is proud to announce that Anna Meemken was selected as Student of the Month for September. Anna is the daughter of Adam and Linda. Anna has two younger brothers that attend Royalton with her, Adam, Jr. a freshman and David an eighth grader. Anna believes her family has played a large role in her life when it comes to many things. “My family has taught me the importance of accepting others for who they are and not judging those who have not had the same opportunities in life and to love others, even if I do not agree with them. They have always encouraged me to pursue my interests and to look at things in a different perspective when things go wrong and were a huge part of choosing where I plan on continuing my education.”

Outside of school Anna is involved in the Loyal Royals 4-H club, where she has been president of the club for 2 years and vice president for 2 years. Anna is also involved in with her church where she has taken part in the church community annual mission trip to Chicago.  “The whole point of a mission trip is to help others; it has given me perspective into the needs of others not only in our own communities but across the nation” says Anna. “It has also helped me gain connections to those in the area, in which I still communicate with today.”

At Royalton High School, Anna is involved in many activities. She is active in volleyball, BPA, Student Council, Minnesota Honors Society, and Y.E.S. Club. Anna believes being a member of the volleyball team has given her valuable insight into teamwork and leadership. Through BPA she had the opportunity to travel to California for a National Competition, which she says sparked her interest in the world of business and opened her eyes to greater opportunities. By being a member of Student Council, Minnesota Honors Society and Y.E.S Club, Anna believes she has improved her multitasking skills and has learned to recognize community needs and ways to serve others. For example, she has participated in habitat restoration, water quality testing, and is currently working on designing energy efficient electrical bikes.

When it comes to her classes Anna says her favorite class was probably College Algebra. “I have always enjoyed mathematics and it has always come easy to me. I would suggest College Algebra because it gives you college credits while being introduced to college level algebra.” Royalton High School Mathematics teacher Jeff Schoenrock says Anna is not just a great student but she is also willing to help her fellow students. “Anna has always done a great job in any of the math classes I have had her in. She is currently taking College Credit Precalculus and is excelling,” Schoenrock says “Anna has always been a pleasure to have in class and she works well with others. Many times, other students will go to Anna for clarification on how to do homework assignments”

Anna’s favorite teacher in high school was Mara Jacobson. Anna said, “Mrs. Jacobson was my favorite teacher because she introduced me to the world of business. She convinced me to join Business Professionals of America (BPA) which really set me on the path of business” Next year Annal will be attending Winona State University where her plan is to major in finance and minor in business management and in 10 years, Anna hopes to be settled into her career choice and possibly be focusing on a family.

Some of Anna’s favorites memories in high school have been on the road with friends and in 10th grade Geography class, “One of my favorite memories was when a carload of students, including myself, went to return our college textbooks to the CLC campus. As we were exiting the parking lot our driver, after being warned multiple times, still turned into oncoming traffic on a one-way street. Thankfully there was no accident and everyone returned home safely,” said Anna. “One of my favorite school projects was in Geography in 10th grade when my friend Kaelee Yourczek and I attempted to make beef empanadas and almost burned ourselves testing to see if the oil was hot enough to fry them. They turned out to be delicious.”

Anna’s advice to high school freshmen is, “My advice to any incoming freshman is to challenge yourselves to see things from others perspectives and if you plan on attending college after high school take advantage of the college classes offered by the school. I also encourage you to get involved in your community to open your eyes to new experiences.”