By Zorina Anderson (Ramona)
The School year is coming to a close so I get my mommy back for a little while. My brother, Zachary, started this tradition of writing a Meandering so I had to rise to the challenge as well.
My mommy, Ramona, says that school has been a very interesting and stretching year. Mini-School is working with the Basic Skills Tests, implementing the Standards, moving to their new area, a new baby to the family (that’s me) and the flurry of activities that are continuously going on in Mini.
This Spring Mini had the “Big” trip to Arkansas go out with fearless leaders Randy and Doug along with their trusting students: Casey Bakken, Laura “the Vegrant Gerbil” Huberty, Matt “Ebenezer” Evans, JT “Fahrenheit” Fairbourne, Anni Kohman, Tony Kohman, Jeff McGinn, Clare Meyer, Andy Miller, Jamie O’Day, Kristina Petron, Amy Schimmel, Jessica Turner and Charlie Urbia. When Doug and Randy came back Pauline and Mom said they needed a day out and went to the Minnesota Zoo and IMAX theater to see the “Amazon”. Doug can only stay in the building for so long in the spring so he took off again for the BWCA with Leah (Mom) Shoberg, Audrey Lopez, Aaron (Gil) Sapp, Jeremy (Jerry) Latcham, Carrie (Butch) Tiggas, BJ Foehringer, and Andy (the Man) Black. Doug and Randy tagged off and Randy went biking in Southern Minnesota with Steve Kopischke, BJ Foehringer, Tom Miller, Jesse Overman, Kyle Kimrey, and Tony Wegler. When Randy returns he will pass the baton (The Van) to Pauline and Joanne for the Triathion (biking, hiking and rafting) with Shelly Smasal, Trish Laumann, Shaun Johnson, Missy Quass, Mark Thole, Heather Trowbridge, and Hilary Carignan.
On top of all these trips Mini-School packed up their belongings and left their home of 28 years. You can imagine the quantity of belongings one acquires after 28 years (like Grandma and Grandpa’s house). The new home was then set up to function for the quarter to then be repacked for the summer construction. I got to help mommy unpack, too. Zachary left his crayons and coloring book on Randy’s desk. Randy was kind enough to give them back, but he was tempted to keep them. He’s a closet colorer.
Kids have been busy learning physics, money management, writing, editing, planning, geometry and trying to determine if they will graduate and how. What a quarter! I’m sure mommy is looking forward to summer as much as Zachary and I.
Recycling has been going strong despite all the obstacles Mini has dodged. The construction has affected the Whole High School including where the bailer will be and if Mini could continue to recycle. Pauline is adamant to help the environment and Joe Juranitch, BJ Foehringer and Jon Schmidt have been very helpful in making that happen.
Summer activities are being planned. I’m going to walk, say “mommy”, bother my brother and do my Calculus. Pauline will be playing with Alex on the beach, working with Independent Study, getting married and maybe working at a coffee shop. Doug will be doing two summer canoe trips for summer school with Randy, moving his son to Illinois and trying to recover from the year by canoeing as much as possible. Randy will be doing the summer school trips and trying to go to Colorado for a week in between Independent Study program and soccer camps. Joanne will be working at Otten Bros. Nursery and Garden Center full time while gardening and fishing in her new boat. Mommy will be working with the Independent Study program and spending every spare minute with Zachary and I. On top of all this the Mini Staff will be trying to write a Minnesota Standard for the program.
Hope you all have a great summer and don’t forget to relax!