Author: Juliana Allen

The Foundation for Eden Prairie Schools has announced the winners of its annual Legacy Awards, which honor outstanding teachers, staff, volunteers, alumni and community members who have gone above and beyond to support the success of Eden Prairie Schools. Winners and nominees will be honored at the FEPS Red & Black Gala to be held 6:30-10:30 p.m. on Friday, April 28, at Bearpath Golf & Country Club. Cocktail attire (preferably in Eden Prairie Schools colors, red and black!) is suggested. “This is our first in-person event in three years, and we’re really excited to bring the community together for a…

A ribbon memorial will be held on Saturday, April 15, to commemorate Aaron Husmann, an Eden Prairie High School (EPHS) junior who passed away unexpectedly on April 10. People who would like to attend to commemorate Husmann’s life can gather at Round Lake at 2 p.m. to help place blue and green ribbons around the city as a way to remember him and share memories with others. (Please note: this event has been moved from its original location, the EPHS Activity Center, due to parking issues.) As the school community grieves this loss, trained counselors and social workers remain available…

Eden Prairie High School (EPHS) students and staff shared a moment of silence at the start of the school day on Wednesday morning, as they confronted the loss of two beloved community members: Aaron Husmann, a junior, and Robert “Rob” Becker, a longtime employee and school security monitor. Aaron Husmann In an email sent on April 11 to students and families, Principal Nate Gibbs said, “I am heartbroken to share that Aaron Husmann, one of our 11th grade students, died unexpectedly last evening. As a school community, we are navigating profound grief and loss. Families, during times like this your…

Jasmine Garry, an 11th grader at Eden Prairie High School (EPHS), recently combined her passion for sustainability with her skills in computer science to create an award-winning app that teaches users how to recycle. Called RexCycle, the app has won U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips’ 2022 Congressional App Challenge in Minnesota’s Third District. “I enjoy building apps because I am able to see the direct impact they have on the world,” Garry said. “Because of this, I built the app for the Congressional App Challenge to help create a fun way for people to engage with the environment in a positive way…

Audiences are in for an extremely cool treat with the International School of Minnesota’s (ISM) current musical production of Disney’s “Frozen Jr.” The musical’s cast and crew, made up of 34 ISM students ranging from first to 12th grade, will transport viewers to the magical kingdom of Arendelle along with Anna, Elsa, Olaf and all of the beloved “Frozen” characters. Theater-goers are encouraged to dress as their favorite character when they see this fun, family-friendly musical. Upcoming performances of the show, which launched last night, will be at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 31, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.…

It’s been a tough winter health-wise for Michael Okwabi, a beloved band teacher at Eden Prairie High School (EPHS), who suffers from stage 4 kidney disease. One bright spot, however, has been the strong support Okwabi, his wife Tori, and their daughter Mya have received from the school community over these past few difficult months. Okwabi was unexpectedly diagnosed with stage 4 kidney disease at the end of 2022, a complication of the Type 1 diabetes he has been managing since he was 21. Further compounding matters, in mid-February, Okwabi fell ill with COVID-19 and pneumonia after a school band…

Eden Prairie High School’s (EPHS) boys swim and dive team achieved a long-held dream last Saturday night, becoming the 2023 Minnesota AA state champions. The team also won two individual state championships courtesy of senior Luke Logue. “It was a very special moment for so many reasons – my first state team title, and first time scoring 40 points (winning both individual events),” Logue said. “But what is probably going to stick with me the most was the team effort and the special experience of winning the team title that I was able to help give to my younger teammates…

Editor’s note: This story was updated on Tuesday to include additional statements from those who attended the sentencing, as well as a comment from the school district. Craig Lee Hollenbeck, a former social studies teacher at Eden Prairie High School (EPHS), was sentenced Monday after pleading guilty on Dec. 16, 2022, to a gross misdemeanor charge of endangerment of a child, also known as child grooming. Hollenbeck was sentenced to 30 days of Sentencing to Service (STS) and two years of probation, along with additional conditions. The charge stemmed from an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old EPHS student between Feb.…

Members of Eden Prairie High School’s (EPHS) orchestra recently performed and recorded movie music during a whirlwind four-day trip to Disney World in Florida. On Feb. 10, students showcased musical selections from Disney movies, “The Incredibles,” “Frozen,” “Moana,” “Brave,” and “Pirates of the Caribbean,” at the Disney Springs Bandshell. They were also able to take part in a recording session with an on-staff Disney composer. This allowed them to experience what it is like to be a freelance musician and performing string player with Disney. “The trip was amazing,” said Angelique Rowell, EPHS’s orchestra director. “The kids were wonderful to…

It’s crunch time for Eden Prairie High School’s boys swim and dive team. After fantastic swims at the Section 2AA Tournament Feb. 24-25 that earned them second place overall, and a phenomenal season that saw them crowned Lake Conference champs for the first time since 2016, the team is sending 14 swimmers and one diver to the state tournament starting tonight. “The section meet was the tale of two sessions,” said Kelly Boston, the team’s head coach. “On Friday night the boys came in and secured their lanes. On Saturday night the boys opened up with a fantastic medley relay…