Sentinel Correspondent
FAIRMONT On Tuesday, Education Minnesota-Fairmont honored its five retiring teachers: Heidi Luhmann, Kevin Kristenson, Joice Forster, Michelle Grotte and Rochelle Franzen. The 2021 Friend of Education was also recognized.
Bruce Abitz received the Friend of Education award. High School English Teacher Jonas Nissen presented Abitz with the award.
“He is a 1971 graduate of Fairmont and he has never lost his passion for this school and school district,” said Nissen.
Nissen went on to recount some of the many times that Abitz has helped with sound and technology during school productions and other events. Most recently, Abitz has been helping Nissen get the high school’s production studio set up.
Sentinel Correspondent
FAIRMONT Morgan Hoong, Fairmont High School senior and student school board member, was awarded a scholarship from the Minnesota School Board Association during Tuesday evening’s board meeting.
Kurt Schneidawind, Executive Director of MSBA was present at the meeting and said, “the $3,000 scholarship is one of only two awarded in the state each year. It’s given away as a reward to encourage students to become involved in local government and school board, policy setting and vision setting as well.”
Linda Leiding, MSBA Director, said, “MSBA received 50 applications for the scholarship program. Five MSBA directors reviewed the applications and then they selected two winners. Out of a field of talented, high-achieving students, Morgan arose above all the rest.”
Sentinel Correspondent
Brooke Wohlrabe
MEDIA TRAINING â Fairmont High School teacher Jonas Nissen, left, runs a camera in the schoolâs television studio. Students Ameya Komaragiri, left, and Parker Vetter, sit at the desk.
FAIRMONT Two new media production classes are being offered at Fairmont High School this semester. The classes are taught by English teacher Jonas Nissen.
Nissen is teaching Audio Visual Production, which is a basic course for students in grades 10-12 and Intro to Broadcast Journalism, which is for juniors and seniors.
“That’s where students are creating content specifically for journalism purposes,” Nissen said.
There are 15 students enrolled between the two classes.
bfaith@fairmontsentinel.com
Blake Potthoff, executive director of the Fairmont Opera House, sits in front of one of many memories the Opera House has created. Potthoff wants to continue making and giving people memories through the Opera House.
FAIRMONT The Fairmont Opera House has been around for 120 years and has dealt with difficulties during this pandemic. Executive Director Blake Potthoff described himself as a competitive person who strives to be better and during this pandemic, he has found the light at the end of the tunnel and kept a positive attitude.
The idea of the Fairmont Opera House began in 1989 when Frank A. Day, founder of the Fairmont Sentinel began nudging businessmen to build an opera house. The concept lead to local businessmen forming the Fairmont Opera House Company in March of 1901 and begin construction of this building in 1901 for approximately $20,000. On opening night in 1902, the Opera House opened to the public and 400 tickets were sold for $5.