Author: Juliana Allen

Tensions were running high last Friday even before Eden Prairie High School’s (EPHS) boys swim and dive team arrived for its meet against Minnetonka High School. There was more at stake than the outcome of just one meet. With both teams undefeated in the Lake Conference — and only one additional dual meet apiece left in the season — the winner of the Feb. 3 match-up would be strongly positioned to clinch the Lake Conference title the following week. The meet started at 5:30 p.m. to loud cheers from the crowd of Minnetonka Skippers home supporters and Eagles visitors. EP…

Two former Eden Lake Elementary teachers are sharing their passion for sled dog racing with elementary school students across the metro area. Longtime friends and colleagues Sheryl Cater and John Clay retired from teaching a couple of years ago. Now, they are volunteering some of their free time to educate children about the sport they love. Last month, as part of a community outreach effort by organizers of the annual Lake Minnetonka Klondike Dog Derby, Cater, Clay, and Lakeville-based musher Cheri Beatty visited Excelsior Elementary School. They brought a sled, racing gear, and two Alaskan Huskies from Beatty’s kennel. “The…

Audiences should prepare to be highly entertained by Eden Prairie High School (EPHS) Drama Club’s upcoming performance of “Arsenic and Old Lace.” Shows will be performed at the school’s auditorium at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 2, Friday, Feb. 3, and Saturday, Feb. 4, plus a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, Feb. 4. Viewers will be drawn in by the twists and turns of the witty, fast-paced script. All the characters — from leads to dead bodies — are brought to vivid life (or, in some cases, death) by talented student actors who fully commit to their comedic roles. The…

It was a particularly sweet victory for Eden Prairie High School’s (EPHS) boys swim and dive as they handily outpaced Edina High School 104-86 at a home last Friday. Not only did the Eagles serve the Hornets their first Lake Conference loss in four years, but also it was the first time any of the current swimmers had bested these rivals. “It felt amazing to finally beat Edina,” said senior co-captain Eric Howard. “Edina has won state the past four years and EP hasn’t beaten Edina in six years, so being the team to finally take them was really special.”…

When Eden Prairie High School (EPHS) students begin choosing next year’s courses on Feb. 1, they’ll have important new tools to prepare them for their futures: Pathways and expanded Capstone experiences. Pathways are suggested course progressions that reflect five high-demand career fields. They are geared to provide a focused but flexible framework that can guide students as they select their coursework and even their extracurricular activities. “Pathways create a learning progression that can help teens and families see the progression and the connectivity in their coursework,” said Robb Virgin, who is Eden Prairie Schools’ executive director of personalized learning as…

Eden Prairie High School’s (EPHS) drama students will perform their One Act Play, “Lockdown” by Douglas Craven, on Thursday, Jan. 26, and Friday, Jan. 27, at 7 p.m. in the school’s Performing Arts Center. The play, which is about a lockdown drill at a high school, is free to attend, but cash donations are welcome. Donations will help defray bus costs when EPHS competes at Chanhassen High School on Saturday, Jan. 28, in Subsection B of the Minnesota State High School League Section 2AA One Act Play Tournament. “I chose this play because I wanted to do a more well-known…

Eden Prairie High School’s (EPHS) girls and boys JV Nordic ski teams finished their season on a high at the Lake Conference JV Championships, with JV1 girls placing first overall, and JV1 boys, JV2 girls, and JV2 boys each second overall. Freshman Leah Bakken led the JV1 girls to first place overall on Wednesday night as the event’s top finisher, with a time of 12:37.4. Bakken said that while she was skiing, “Coach Melissa [Berman] told me to take the W and I did.” Sophomore Gabriella Lainhart pulled off second for JV1 girls with a time of 12:48.0 at the…

It was a night of personal bests for Eden Prairie High School’s (EPHS) boys swim and dive team on Friday, Jan. 20, as they outperformed Hopkins High School 96-80 at the EP Aquatic Center. The Eagles went into the home meet with solid expectations for a great result. Head coach Kelly Boston said the team rose to the occasion — and then some. “I was a little surprised with the number of lifetime/season best times/scores the boys posted against Hopkins,” she said. “We mixed the lineup up a bit giving different guys the opportunity to step up for the team…

A targeted group of Eden Prairie Schools students is taking part in fun, free STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) activities on non-school days, thanks to a new partnership between EP Schools Community Education and the City of Eden Prairie. The first event in this program was held on Nov. 23 at Eden Lake Elementary with a day of art projects and physical fitness before Thanksgiving break. During the second event, on Jan. 16 at Cedar Ridge Elementary, invited students engaged in creative STEM activities, physical fitness and games, social time, and lunch while schools were closed for Martin Luther King…

Over 150 high school students, teachers, and mentors from the Minnesota theater arts community gathered at PiM Arts High School (PiM Arts) in Eden Prairie on Jan. 14 for the Minnesota Thespians (MN Thespians) Annual Conference. The theme this year was “Together Again”— an appropriate choice since it was the first time in two years the student-led group met in person, after a pandemic-induced hiatus. The 156 student attendees came from all over the state and included 18 of PiM Arts’ theater and musical theater students. Throughout the day, students participated in workshops, viewed performances, and networked with other students,…