Newsletters 2014-15 Focus newsletter, [1] fall | Page 20
Anoka-Hennepin Schools
2727 N. Ferry St.
Anoka, MN 55303
www.anoka.k12.mn.us
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VOL 30 NO 1
Focus is a service for residents of Anoka-Hennepin School
District published to keep them informed about the
investment in their public schools and students. The AnokaHennepin School District serves more than 38,000 students
and a population of 248,650 residents in 13 communities:
Andover, Anoka, Blaine, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park,
Champlin, Coon Rapids, Dayton, Fridley, Ham Lake, Nowthen,
Oak Grove and Ramsey.
Communication and Public Relations Department
Mary Olson, director
Kay Villella, assistant director
Derrick Williams, communication specialist
Courtney Markuson, communication specialist
Marie Stockinger, department secretary
Heather Peters, Community Education communications coordinator
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Elaine Guse, graphic designer, Print Shop and Design Department
Betsy Sundquist and Sarah Packingham, community contributors
Anoka-Hennepin School District
2727 N. Ferry St.
Anoka, MN 55303
763-506-1000
Visit our website at
www.anoka.k12.mn.us
www.youtube.com/
anokahennepin
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Anoka, Minnesota
Permit No. 40
Vice Chair
Marci Anderson
Director
Bill Harvey
A NOKA -H ENNEPIN S CHOOL B OARD
Board Chair
Tom Heidemann
District 3:
Champlin, Coon
Rapids, Dayton
763-506-7743
Treasurer
Jeff Simon
District 6:
southwestern
Andover, eastern
Coon Rapids
763-506-7742
District 2:
Blaine,
Coon Rapids
763-433-4150
Clerk
Scott Wenzel
District 5:
Brooklyn Center,
Brooklyn Park, western
Coon Rapids, Fridley
763-433-4151
District 1:
Andover, Anoka,
Coon Rapids, Ramsey
763-506-4795
Director
William Fields
District 4:
Andover, Ham
Lake, Nowthen,
Oak Grove, Ramsey
763-506-5847
Elected officials are listed here by the
Anoka-Hennepin School District for informational purposes only.
Superintendent – David Law
763-506-1002
[email protected]
Anoka-Hennepin School District, in compliance with current statutes and regulations, and in recognition of its obligation to provide equal educational and employment opportunities for all persons within its
jurisdiction, affirms that it will not discriminate on actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex/gender, marital status, disability, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation,
age, family care leave status or veteran status.
Upon request, Anoka-Hennepin will endeavor to provide reasonable accommodations to individuals (staff, students and their families, and community members) with disabilities so they can participate in the
district’s programs, services and activities. Individuals with disabilities should notify the American with Disabilities Act coordinator or contact their building principal if they have a disability requiring special
assistance or services and, if so, what services are required. This notification should occur as far in advance as possible of the school-sponsored function, program or meeting. Students who are disabled consistent with the definitions set forth in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 will be identified, evaluated and provided free and appropriate public education, regardless of the severity of their handicap.
All applicants and employees seeking employment with Anoka-Hennepin, will receive equal opportunities. This applies to all areas of employment including hiring, discharge, promotion, compensation, facilities, or privileges of e mployment.
Graduate Spotlight
Hard work, great teachers
lead Anoka High School
graduate to dream job
reporting the news
Adam May thinks he’s was always predisposed to
become a journalist. Since he was young, May remembers being naturally inquisitive and fascinated with the
television news his mother kept on in the background
while cooking dinner. He also loved hearing about his
father’s days as a police officer.
“My mind was full of endless questions and I think
that’s what sparked it,” May said.
And while he may have been predisposed all along, it
was his teachers and education at Anoka High School
(AHS) that May credits with building the foundation for
his career as American correspondent and anchor with
Al Jazeera America.
“It’s a dream come true for a journalist to be doing
what I’m doing,” the 1993 AHS graduate said of his
work. Specifically, May covers domestic affairs for the
cable television news network. The bulk of his reporting
is done on “America Tonight,” a news magazine-style
program akin to 60 Minutes.
He’s also in the anchor chair often, covering hot-button current events around the globe, such as the recent
Israeli invasion of Gaza, and the alleged shooting down
of a Malaysian Airlines jet in Ukraine.
“It blows my mind that I’m where I am,” May said.
“It’s an amazing job.”
But still, it’s those AHS teachers that got him where
he’s at, May said. Teachers like former AHS theater
director Kent Knudsen.
“ My time at Anoka – I look
back at it so fondly. ”
- Adam May, Anoka High School graduate
BACK TO SCHOOL 2014
Anoka High School graduate Adam May in Mexico while filming a story
on herion addiction for Al Jazeera America.
“(Knudsen) taught me, trusted me and empowered me. I
knew I wanted to be a television journalist, and my teachers — I
had so many amazing teachers at Anoka — they talked to me
and listened to me and helped me get involved and stay
involved in the extra curriculars that would help me be what I
wanted to be.” He was involved in extra currriculars like singing
for the school’s choir, serving as a section editor for the school’s
student newspaper, and performing theater.
“My time at Anoka — I look back at it so fondly,” he said.
After graduating from AHS, May attended the University of
Minnesota — Twin Cities to study speech communications and
history. Soon, he was interning at a Duluth, Minn., television station where he got his big break — as a 20-year-old.
May, still an intern, was asked to help fill in when a reporting
position suddenly opened. He did such a good job, they
offered him the position shortly after.
“It was a dream scenario,” May said. “I mean, I didn’t even
graduate from the U of M and I had this job as a reporter. I was
so fortunate that happened to me. I’ve seen so many interns
come into newsrooms and the reality is that very few of them
will ever get an on-air job in television.”
May says it was part luck and part hard work that landed him
that first job years ago.
continued on page 14
“For me I had to work a lot of hours and I basically just
glommed onto a couple of people in the newsroom to learn
from them,” he said. “And they noticed that. They saw that I
was willing to work hard and to do what they asked.”