Greenbush-Middle River Senior High School



Top 10 of 2010Literature 10Fall 2010Literature 10 Authors:Back: Tayler Wilson, Bailey Bergeron, Erin Foss, Courtney Kirkeide, Madison Svegdahl, Michele Green, Zachary Berg, Gavin Peterson, Jaeden Blawat, Nicholas Wilson, Bailey Penas, and Logan Stein Front: Samantha Gross, Taylor Langaas, Catelyn Sovde, Annie Lorenson, Kayla Stanelle, Hailey Brazier, Mercedes Timm, Tyler Bentow, and Shelby GjovikThis book showcases the talents and qualities that set our top 10 candidates apart. Literature 10 students brainstormed “the essential” questions that would highlight the “essence of a person”—what you stand for. Through an informal interview process, each candidate was able to show reasons why he/she stands apart. This book is a compliation of our top 10 people with articles about each. Top 10 Remarkable People of 2010David Blazek………………………………………………………….……………….Dennis Brazier……………………………………………….…………………………Sharon Emery…………………………………………….…………………………….Gail Holmes-Murphy…………………………………….………………………….Mike Korczak……………………………………………….………………………….Cooky Kujava………………………………………………………………………….Tom Neibauer………………………………………………………………………….Laurie Stromsodt…………………………….……………………………………….Mark Stromsodt……………………………………………………………………….KayDell Super………………………………………………………………………….“Success is the good fortune that comes from aspiration, desperation, perspiration and inspiration.” Evan EsarDavid BlazeklefttopThe GMR 10th Grade Class chose Dave Blazek as one of the Top Ten Most Fascinating People in Greenbush, Middle River, and Strathcona. Mr. Blazek is a very inspiring person to many kids in school. He has gone through so much throughout his lifetime, and he still comes back to teach and coach at our school. The motto that he lives by is, “Life is about 10 percent what happens to you, and 90 percent of how you deal with it.”Humble, this word describes a person who is not proud or arrogant; it also is a perfect description for Dave Blazek. He also described himself as humble by saying, “So many people have given so much of their time to help me become who I am today.” When asked if he could change anything about his life, he said, “No, I’m happy and thankful for my family and their health. There are many other people out there who are less fortunate.”Mr. Blazek’s main inspiration is his father because of his family values that he taught his children. His dad was also a wonderful role model by being a great father and husband and having a deep faith. Time is what motivates Dave; he said that there is never enough of it. When we asked him if he had any regrets about his life so far he said, “No, but there have been times where I thought I could have done more to help out my family, friends, church, and my job.” What is your biggest fear? For Dave, it’s devastation happening to his family. Dave and his family have been through so much and have become stronger through their experiences. The hardest struggle that he has been through so far in his life is recovering from a brain tumor and dealing with its reoccurrence. Now, through his battles, he is back at our school teaching which in our opinion, shows a very dedicated person.To Dave the most important traits a person can have are perseverance, compassion, and humility. Those kinds of traits make a very sincere, driven person which perfectly describes Mr. Blazek. The most important life lesson that he learned is, “There are so many, but no matter how difficult things are going to be, the sun will always come up tomorrow.” Many people can gain from this lesson. It shows that no matter what comes your way, with the help of caring family and friends, you can always overcome it.We admire Mr. Blazek because of his caring ways; he will never turn down a person that is in need of help. He has gone through so many trials in his lifetime and he comes back as a stronger person that is still humble about what he has done. Many people look up to him and all he wants for them is to succeed in life, so he is a great role model. Overall Dave is one of the most inspirational people in our community.Michele Green and Erin Foss—-190501209675Dennis Brazier Dennis Brazier describes himself as logical because he feels he has good common sense. He is an inspiration to aspiring small business owners because he has built his own company in the small town of Greenbush. His business Central Boiler, started in 1984, has been very successful. The most important life lesson he has learned is to always try to do better, and also to take responsibility for yourself. Dennis Brazier has worked very hard to get to where he is today. Central Boiler donates a lot of door prizes and money to different groups. When asked what motto he lives by, he said “Always try to do your best and do things better.” He thinks you should always do the best you can, to your ability, and to always try do things better than someone else. People that have good qualities inspire Dennis. His parents and his wife’s parents also inspire him. Doing better, making improvements, and family are the things that motivate him in life. Dennis believes one of the most important traits in a person is getting work done first. You do the thing you don’t like first, for example shoveling a path in the snow. Then you can do the thing that you like last; playing outside. When Dennis looks back on his life he has regrets, just like any other person would. The hardest struggle he has had to go through with his family is losing family members. With his business he either can’t build enough or he can’t sell enough. So, business will always be a struggle. Dennis wishes he could change his life by putting more trust in fate and God. He wishes he could’ve known what he knows now 25-30 years ago. He would’ve done better to make more of a difference and would’ve been more relaxed about life. His biggest fear is not living up to other people’s expectations of him. He doesn’t want to disappoint other people around him and wants to exceed what people think he should do. Dennis Brazier has worked hard for everything he has in life. He has overcome many obstacles with his family and in his business. His business will continue to grow in the years to come. --Bailey Penas and Gavin Peterson—lefttopSharon EmerySharon Emery is an inspiring person who has really contributed to our community. She has worked for many years at the GMR School and all of the students really enjoy her presence. She works as a paraprofessional around the school, and she is also an active member of the Education Committee at the Bethel Lutheran Church in Greenbush, a Girl Scout Leader, a Summer Rec Coordinator, an afterprom coordinator, and a Sunday school teacher. When not working at the school, she is taking care of children at her daycare. She is always involved with the community and she inspires people by living by the motto, “The best things in life can’t fit into a gift bag or be wrapped up tight with a bow- they are smiles that say ‘I care,’ hugs given right on time, and hearts that know what hasn’t even been said.”When asked what one word describes her, she replied, “Caring.” She shows this trait by being a caring paraprofessional at the school and a caring mother at home. Her parents inspire her in life, and her friends and family motivate her to her full potential. In turn, seeing her kids succeed in life makes her feel good, and her biggest fear in life is losing her children. Sharon feels that the most difficult struggle she’s ever had to go through was her children leaving home.When looking back on her life, Sharon doesn’t have many regrets, but she stated, “I wish I would’ve tried harder in high school and had more schooling.” The important thing is that Sharon is happy with how her life has turned out. Sharon feels that the most important trait in a person is the ability to work with others; this could be the reason for her being so involved in the community. You can clearly see that Sharon has made the most out of her life so far, because she feels that, “What you make out of your life is what you get.”Sharon Emery is clearly a remarkable person. She gives so much to the community, and she has a very appropriate nickname: “Share-Bear.” She is a role model for children and young adults simply because of the fact that she cares and puts her all into everything she does. --Hailey Brazier and Bailey Bergeron—47625-95250Gail Holmes-MurphyFrom elementary teacher to world traveler, and surviving the loss of a loved one to rebuilding a meaningful and productive life, Gail Holmes-Murphy is a woman of passion and intrigue. She deserves to be recognized as she has inspired countless children in her endeavors as a teacher. Mrs. Holmes-Murphy has also fulfilled her dreams of traveling around the world, while at the same time, bringing back memories and knowledge to share with others. Furthermore, she lives her life by the Golden Rule of “Treating others the way you want to be treated”, and instilling it into the minds of her students, which gives her our nomination to this year’s list of GMR’s Most Fascinating People.During our interview with Mrs. Holmes-Murphy we learned about what she desires and despises the most. Her love of teaching fuels her need to bring out the best in all of her students. Instilling in them the most important life lesson she has ever learned: “Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today because you never know what tomorrow brings,” is teaching her students to become lively and productive members of society. In today’s culture it’s imperative for all members to be fair. Fair, is the single word that describes Mrs. Holmes-Murphy. While she treats others equally at all times, her one regret is not being fair to herself in taking the time in watching her own children grow. Raising her three children was one of the best experiences of her life with one of her daughters serving in the Air Force. Not only a mother, but Mrs. Holmes-Murphy serves the community in many groups and activities such as: Goose Fest, the Steve Holmes Walk, the Walk for Diabetes, and many others. Her community service has inspired people throughout Middle River to take action in their own welfare and the welfare of others. Mrs. Holmes-Murphy is also an avid traveler. Her great sense of adventure has taken her around the world. Mainly these places include trips across the pond to Europe, and most recently a visit to South America. Even though her biggest fear is flying, she overcomes it knowing it’s just something that must be done if you want an everlasting memory. Her recent visit to South America gives her and all she shares her story with a deep appreciation to how we live our lives. Seeing people living in boxes and being carried away by a wild downhill stream is just a part of the poverty she was exposed to. Most families live in a small shack made of scrap metal and nearby brush, we learned. Returning from her travels, Mrs. Holmes-Murphy is kind enough to share her experiences and give us all an idea of life beyond our small towns.Positive minded people, such as Mrs. Holmes-Murphy, bring a plethora of knowledge and adventure that strikes inspiration into the minds of people around her. Through the enthusiasm expressed in her community service she contributes new, productive ways to improve Middle River. Being deeply admired as a teacher and mother, Mrs. Holmes-Murphy instigates passion into the minds and souls of her students and children.--Nicholas Wilson and Taylor Langaas--12382543815Mike KorczakMike Korczak is the owner of Squid’s Super Market in Greenbush, Minnesota, and contributes to several community activities. He is involved at Bethel Lutheran Church, does photography, and processes the entire store’s meat. He is an inspiring person because he always works the best he can and is proactive.Mike describes himself as a complicated person since he is president of the Bethel Lutheran Church council, busy working at the store, and takes pictures for the Greenbush Middle River School and community. He was greatly inspired by his mother who was a unique, outgoing woman that was not afraid to try anything. Mike believes that honesty, a positive attitude, and being proactive are some significant traits valuable to a person. He lives by his own motto, “Quality, working the best I can.” which is a suitable motto because he tries to do everything to the best of his ability. Mike admits that there has been a few times where he wasn’t doing his finest. One time in particular, when he was fifty-one years old, Mike learned he wasn’t taking very good care of himself. He ended up having to take a stress test which he did not pass. He found out that he had a couple blocked arteries in his heart and had to have a quadruple bypass on the spot. He made it through the surgery and will never forget the lesson he learned. Another struggle that came upon him was when he found out that both his sons had diabetes. Something that amazes us about Mike is that he has no fears. In fact he said himself, “Right now I have no fears” and “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” from Franklin Roosevelt. Mike has only a few regrets; he said that he wishes he would have gone to college because he had some potential to pursue a writing career. Other than that Mike doesn’t want to change anything and says that having faith in Christ helps him look at what he has in a more positive way.Mike is a unique and inspiring person in many ways. We feel he is a great role model for future adolescents and has encouraged our class to be positive. With everything that he has gone through in his life he still keeps going. He does not dwell on his regrets and lives life fearlessly. Since Mike has these qualities, he has been chosen to be one of the top ten people of the Greenbush, Middle River, and Strathcona area.--Tayler Wilson and Jaeden Blawat—-19050133350Cooky KujavaWhat’s not to like about a lady with the name of a sweet? From early exposure to her in the classroom to the inspiring woman she is now, Cooky will be a person we will never forget. Her lifestyle and outlook on life set her above the rest.As young children, elementary school was most important, and teachers set the pace on the beginning of school. The teacher that we remember the most will always be Cooky because the always looked for the best in a person. Once she left the teaching business, she moved on to selling houses, which is something that she’s always wanted to do.As her life goes on, she continues to fulfill her dreams of traveling and business work. Day by day she is inspired by sisters and her close friends, with a do your best attitude. Over her life span she has learned to not hold on to guilt, because it only wears you down. “Just do your best and move on,” she says. Cooky also believes that you should always do your best, even if you don’t like it. Do what you like least first, because it makes everything else easier and it gives you a sense of accomplishment.When she looks back on her life, Cooky wishes that she would have done more traveling with her family, and had been an army nurse before going into the teaching business. Cooky is a very tactfully honest and responsible person, who will always tell you the truth. She is a well rounded person who has done everything from being a teacher, to an EMT (which she is still apart of today), and currently a realtor. It may seem like she has no fear whether it be from going from job to job or traveling, but her biggest fear is water.What sets Cooky apart from everyone else is her ability to move on from either a hard day at work or struggles with her family.Looking back at Cooky’s life, there’s nothing that she would change. She feels fortunate for her good health and a supportive family. Now she is working on her bucket list and is continuing to motivate others to live life to the fullest. --Madison Svegdahl and Tyler Bentow—-13335076200Thomas NeibauerTom Neibauer was one of the top 10 choices for the most fascinating people in our Literature 10 class. The reason why he was nominated was because of his honesty and loyalty to the community. We had the great honor of interviewing him ourselves. The motto that he lives by is, “Always be honest; tell people what’s really going on.” We both really agree with this statement, we feel that if you’re not honest to other people you’re not being honest to yourself. One of the things that Mr. Neibauer was involved in was being a great math teacher. He was known for helping out the students so they had no choice but to learn it. Tom is very self-motivated; his life lesson has been to not depend on others--do things yourself to your full potential. He also says to do things today, not tomorrow. He believes that everybody should take pride in what they’re doing in life and love it! One thing he regrets is not being able to stay a math teacher for one more year to teach this year’s senior class. We both know that one of his main goals was to help students understand, and he was very helpful to the people who wanted to succeed in life. He didn’t waste time with people who refused to try learning or didn’t care about learning. Another thing he is now involved in is the American Legion which gives to the community by donating money, hosting events, and showing people that little things in life make a big difference. Mr. Neibauer is a man of his word; he will always tell you upfront the honest truth. He is very understanding and appreciative because he has experienced a lot of different events in his lifetime. Including, losing his brother Mike to a car accident in 1975. Tom was very affected by this accident and has now only gained from it. He was also put into a serious situation where he was close to dying, he was very lucky to have Dr. Jerome Bray. Tom was very inspired by Dr. Jerome because he worked very hard to save his life. We feel that his goal in life was to help others understand many things. He loved his job teaching students, being a driver’s training instructor, and lastly being involved in sports. We think that he is a great role model because he has the qualities that people need to be successful. Most of all though, he is a very regular man, he has worked hard all his life to become his very best, and now he’s giving back to the community. That’s how a good citizen should be. --Samantha Gross and Catelyn Sovde---66675-104775Laurie StromsodtHonesty, loyalty, and moral values; these are just some of the qualities that separate regular people from outstanding people. We value these characteristics in the people in our community and we look up to them as role models. Laurie Stromsodt is one of the fascinating people in our area that uphold these traits; she is a trustworthy individual that is greatly involved in the activities that go on in the Greenbush-Middle River area. Laurie lives in the town of Middle River with her husband Mark Stromsodt. She is engaged in many public events; she partakes in organizing Goose Fest and is effectively involved in church related activities. She is currently working at Grand Central Graphics as well as being a part of the Middle River newspaper, The Honker; she is also one of the members on the school board. Not only is she diligently committed in benefiting the community, but she also has three children and a grandchild. Seeing how busy her life must be, one word that describes Laurie is hardworking; she always tries to do her best in everything that she does and gives 110% to the things that she is involved in. She doesn’t let a task go unattended and is dedicated to the jobs that she is faced with.Laurie is a very religious person who values her spiritual life; she is very devoted to serving God in her everyday lifestyle. She prays to God in the morning upon waking to give her strength and motivate her to get her through the duration of the day. She is also strongly motivated by her husband and children who make her life whole and complete. The motto that Laurie lives by is to achieve everything you can possibly achieve in life; live for today. She feels that you shouldn’t put off till tomorrow something that you can do today. The qualities of people that we come in contact with are very important when it comes to building relationships with them. Some traits that Laurie feels are most valuable in people are honesty and trust; she believes that people who have a strong foundation about themselves are more favorable to be around than others. Hardworking individuals are very appealing in Laurie’s eyes as well, and she disapproves of those that are known to be slackers.Life is so very short; you blink once and wonder where the time has gone. One important life lesson that Laurie has learned over the years is that you shouldn’t take life for granted; you never know what day is going to be your last so you shouldn’t hold back. Enjoy life while you are still able and don’t have any regrets. One of Laurie’s biggest fears is not being here on the earth; she’s not afraid of actually dying but more of not being able to see how her children and family turn out. She doesn’t want to have to leave them behind.Looking back on her life, Laurie regrets not working as hard as she should have in school; she wishes she would have taken different classes in high school that would have better prepared her for the real world. She yearns for the advice her teachers and parents gave her; she realizes now what a difference it would have made if she would have listened. One thing Laurie wishes she could change about her life is to have a bigger house and have more money to spend, even though she doesn’t complain about the life she now lives. Just visiting with Laurie, you can see that she is a very tender hearted person; she is very caring for other people. One of the hardest struggles that Laurie has faced in her life is losing love ones. She worries about where they are at spiritually and what will happen to them after death. Another thing that she struggles with is raising her children and looking out for what is in their best interest. She feels that the media has a bad influence on kids today and that they are faced with many difficult choices. Admiration is not something that is given out to just anyone; it is something that must be earned from hard work and having a good attitude. We admire Laurie because of all that she does for the community. She shows perseverance in her work place and in her life as a whole. She has the personality of a person you could come to, when you need advice and who would be willing to give it; someone that you can put your trust in. We honor her for her loyalty to our area and for everything that she is involved with. The cities of Greenbush and Middle River would truly be nothing without people like Laurie Stromsodt; we appreciate her hard work and commitment. --Kayla Stanelle and Mercedes Timm—-1143003962400Mark StromsodtZack and I were asked who we thought was the most fascinating person in the Greenbush-Middle River community and the first person who came to our mind was Mark Stromsodt. Mark is currently the mayor of Middle River Minnesota. He has three children, two still in school. Mark is married to Laurie Stromsodt and they have been married for 23 years now. Marks motto that he lives by is, You get out of it what you put into it. He is a very hard working and nice guy. He works for the radio station in Thief River Falls and says, “I got to love it, not much pay, but I love communicating with all different types of people.” Mark has also been the mayor of Middle River since 2000 and told us that it has its ups and downs, but it has rewards. Mark’s hardest struggle in life has been raising his children. Kids are challenging to raise but they are very rewarding at the same time. Mark’s biggest fear is death. Looking back on his childhood Mark would not really want to change anything about his life, but he jokingly said he should have brushed his teeth more. Ha-ha. His wife Laurie is the one that has motivated him the most. Before Mark met Laurie he never attended church, now he goes all the time. Mark’s father was the one who inspired him the most. He taught him a lot when he was younger, but he wished he would have paid more attention to him. Looking back on life, Mark wishes he would have listened to his father more and relished his younger years. But the most important lesson he learned was to cherish every minute. We asked him what traits are most valuable to a person and he said the most important is honesty followed by working hard, being polite, and friendly. Mark describes himself as being blessed. He feels blessed because of his community, family, and everyone around him. Mark was a very nice, interesting guy to talk to and we had a great time talking with him and hearing what he had to say. --Zack Berg & Shelby Gjovik—1143003914775KayDell Super Mrs. KayDell Super is an inspiring person who is always willing to go the extra mile to make our community a better place to live. Her motivation and compelling attitude makes her an outstanding citizen to be in the presence of as she takes on new tasks or challenges. She volunteers countless hours to the community of Middle River and to our school district. This is why Mrs. Super is one of the top ten people in the Greenbush, Middle River, and Strathcona area. Mrs. Super is a one of a kind, multitasking woman who is not frightened by new challenges. She is inspired by anybody who takes on a challenge and is willing to give back to the community. She thoroughly enjoys the opportunity to make a difference in life by giving her best efforts every day. What makes Mrs. Super get up in the morning is knowing, “everyone has the potential to make a difference in the world and we should do our best to make sure that difference is a positive one. Even if we can’t battle the major problems of the world, we can make our little corner of the world a better place and if all the little improved corners of the world were put together like a puzzle, the picture would be a much brighter one.” The motto she lives by is “It’s not about living or dying; it’s about living until you die.” She lives up to this motto very well by trying to fit all of her activities into one day which sometimes leads into very long nights. Some valuable traits Mrs. Super feels important are having the courage to do something, compassion for others, and humor. She also feels that is extremely important how a person handles and corrects mistakes in his/her life. Mrs. Super has lived by these traits all her life and states that it has made her life richer and fulfilling. Mrs. Super has experienced many life lessons, however; appreciation, sense of humor, making the most of what you have, setting goals on actions not things, and working hard are the most vital to her. These are the things she taught her own children to have as they endure their life experiences. She feels it is important that in order to succeed you need to fail and laugh at yourself while learning from your mistakes. This is why Mrs. Super has accomplished great things in her lifetime so far. Her biggest fear is answering these questions because she does not like to talk highly of herself; she is too modest. It is for this reason that Mrs. Super is such an outstanding citizen, always thinking of others before herself. The real fears that she is concerned about are the health and safety of her family, the future of volunteerism in small communities, the technology age, and communication skills. When asked about her regrets she stated that she felt rather than focusing on your mistakes you should try to fix them or forget them. One of Mrs. Super’s favorite quotes, “Today’s big deals, are tomorrows so what’s,” supports this. Mrs. Super’s hardest struggles through life are accepting the fact that she can’t do everything and it might not always be perfect. It is hard for her to admit that she will not be able to finish everything that she has on her super big list. She tries to accomplish so many things in the little amount of time she has. If there was anything Mrs. Super could change in her life it would be making a regular 24-hour day into a 25-hour day. Clearly, she is an inspiring go-getter who impacts the community greatly and always takes the extra step to make it better. Her name says it all! She is super involved, super dedicated, super passionate, super enthusiastic, and super motivating. Without her our little corner of the world wouldn’t be as remarkable as it is now. Mrs. Super is a great asset to the communities of Middle River, Greenbush, and Strathcona. Whatever challenge you give her she will rise to the challenge and do her SUPER best!--Courtney Kirkeide, Annie Lorenson, and Logan Stein-- Words of Wisdom…Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. EmersonWe are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit. AristotleMen's best successes come after their disappointments. Henry Ward BeecherKnowing is not enough; we must apply.Willing is not enough; we must do.Johann Wolfgang von Goethe We are still masters of our fate.We are still captains of our souls.Winston ChurchillNothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.Ralph Waldo EmersonNothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude. Thomas JeffersonThe secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes.Earl of BeaconsfieldNo great man ever complains of want of opportunities. Ralph Waldo EmersonA wise man will make more opportunities than he finds. Francis BaconWhen one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us. Helen KellerThe essential thing is not knowledge, but character. Joseph Le Conte_______________________________“Make it a good day, or make it a great one. It doesn’t matter---the choice is yours.”Hats off to our final cut! Thank you for all you do for your communtities. Students were impressed with the integrity, character, and determination of our “Top 10 Influential” people of 2010. You model great traits for our students and demonstrate foundational values. We appreciate your willingness to participate and applaud your efforts in your daily life—you live well. Happy New Year!All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form, electronic or mechanical without the written permission from the Literature 10 authors. Copyright 2011. ................
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