Monday, June 27, 2011

The latest

This has been a busy two months. Student tours and the Minnesota History Contest was on the agenda for the full month of May.We served students from Badger, Greenbush and Roseau with educational SMART board programs on Farm Animals for kindergarten and preK, Local Ojibwa History for first grade and immigration for second graders. We also had scavenger hunts for the older students. Some easier ones for the younger students.

The Minnesota History Contest went well, with Lake of the Woods sixth grade participating for the first time. I hope they felt is was valuable enough and want to participate again next year. A neighbor girl, Ivy Braaten took first place. First time Roseau has taken first place. Warroad took second and third and there was a tie for fourth. We give trophies to the first three positions and medals to the next three and all six receive $50 savings bonds. These are sponsored by Border State Bank, Citizens State Bank and Security State Bank.

The end of the month had great excitment for our daughter Michelle as she finally graduated. She now has her music degree. She will do a credinial program next. She taught piano, violin, viola, and voice this past year. She is now enjoying her summer as most of her students take the summer off.

Michelle and Dave are coming to visit during the Roseau County Fair. They will be here for a little over a week. They are looking forward to attending the fair and seeing some of her former classmates and church friends.

Ashley spent about six weeks in Austrailia with James in May and June. They took in some of the local site seeing tours. Saw the penquins, kowals, and kangaroos. Adelade is near the ocean so they were able to site see in that area also. They did quite a bit of bicycling while she was there. By chance someone who had lived in their apartment before they had left a bike and it was perfect for her.

James has about five or six weeks left in his training there. He will then go to Hong Kong for more training with Cathay Pacific Airlines. He is really enjoying this time. He enjoys learning and is challenged by the various things he is being taught.

We open a new exhibit next week, a church exhibit called Faith Matters: Churches in Minnesota's Historic  Northwest. We will add a few local churches to the mix and a list of past and present churches. Preparations for the New Harmonies exhibit with programs and exhibits are under way also.  We are going to open on November 12th with the Story of Music, the Story of Home. A musical program about the music and insturments that are a part of U.S. heritage. Today I received a list from several individuals from the western area of our county telling about the bands, dances halls and pavilions that were popular when they were young. It is going to be a busy summer and fall!