It’s a parental expectation that when a child shows interest in something, they should indulge that topic for the child’s development. Only a fraction of kids who choose a sport end up doing it professionally, a box of legos does not create an engineer, and it’s a safe bet that buying a goldfish at the pet store will not result in a career in marine biology. For parents  Ernie and Sharlie Hansen, indulging their daughter Lexi’s interest in horses went from a charming (and exp

MOSLOSKI FIXES CARS BY DAY, CRASHES THEM ON WEEKEND Given Mapleton’s status as a bedroom community for so many folks that travel back and forth to Mankato, the need for a quality auto mechanic is vital in this day and age. While the corporate business model is to make most cities clones of each other with franchises, in Mapleton, local garages are still chugging along. One of these locally owned small businesses is Moz’s Midtown Auto. As the name suggests, the garage is locat

Larry Barott was recently awarded USA Curling’s 2025 Volunteer of the Year Award Winner, and while he quietly goes about his business with little fanfare, this award showcases all the little things it takes to keep a tradition such as curling alive in a community.  Mapleton historian (and curler) Tim Solie has seen the impact made by Barott first hand. “If there's anybody cynical to believe that a person can't make a difference, I hope they look at Larry Barott because the di

Since the days of telling ghost stories around the camp fire, storytellers have reveled in producing goosebumps, and 2005 Maple River graduate Amanda (Schubbe) Ruzsa has turned that love of being frightened into a diverse career in the horror genre. After being a life-long fan of horror stories, Ruzsa had jumped feet-first into being a horror author with 19 titles that range from poetry and anthologies to short stories and novels. Why horror? Ruzsa explains her love of the ge

The concept of “love” has many definitions in life, but in the game of tennis, the word “love” has a very specific meaning: nothing, nada, zilch, zero. Leading 40-love is so much better than trailing love-thirty, but whether winning or losing, love is often present. For Maple River senior Claire Langworthy, an integral part of one of the area’s top tennis programs, the ebbs and flows of a tennis match has become symbolic for a life that has also seen plenty of triumphs and he

When a juvenile bird leaves the nest, it has to be pretty confident before taking the leap or else pay the price. For students at Maple River, the curriculum might prepare students intellectually and socially for the real world, but there is no Aviation 101 on the course registration list to take in preparation of becoming a pilot. Yet there are several graduates who have earned their wings and are now flying machines that range from small crop dusters to the “Titans of the S

For generations, Star Wars has resonated with viewers because of its universal themes, especially the idea of a learner becoming a master. For 2002 graduate Gretchen (Maurer) Gosch, she’s gone from being a student-leader to now administering her own school.  Back in the day, Gosch was asked by Jim Swanson to help create the fledgling Serteen program due to her leadership skill in and out of the classroom. When NHS Advisor Jason Fickett left midyear to join the FBI, Gosch also

No more pencils. No more books. And the only dirty looks from teachers will be if you forget your chromebook at home. The modern classroom–from elementary through high school–has continued to evolve due to an ever changing technological world. While some schools might’ve been content to stop evolving with typewriters and the abacus, preparing students for an ever-changing workforce falls upon the shoulders of Maple River’s technology coordinators Dee Stencel and Billy Vait. O

Serteen Celebrates 25 Years Having a student show up late to a Serteen meeting rarely distracts adviser Jim Swanson, but when dozens of Maple River staff members crash the meeting, even Swanson took note. With the school year coming to a close, Maple River’s Serteen club honored its members who’d gone above and beyond the call of duty, but this year, on the 25th anniversary of the club’s creation, senior officers Olivia Anderson and Wyatt Birr paused the meeting promptly at 7

This video essay will look back on Dale Massop's state wrestling championship in 1985

Miss Bonnie Lass celebrated its 60th Year thanks to participants who began caretakers of the program. An Overview of 60 Years of Miss Bonnie Lass Crowning Moments in Miss Bonnie Lass History Insight into the Parades and Events by Miss Bonnie Lass courts. Lessons taught by the Miss Bonnie Lass program. Preserving the History of Miss Bonnie Lass Decades ago, small towns across Minnesota found ways to celebrate history while also forging an identity by creating unique town cele

It’s a Good Day to Be An Adult and an Eagle Note: As a teacher, you’re often irrationally proud of Little Johnny’s accomplishments since you were there at ground zero when things got started. It’s why things like the ACT and MCA tests exist–to put it in perspective. So when I took a group of my speech seniors to a National Forensic League tournament with kids from all over the midwest, I sat up when a couple of them (including Baylee Amy) rose to the cream of the crop. I went

Maple River Cheer performed at halftime this past January. When a whistle blows or a buzzer sounds, it’s usually the signal for a break in action during a sporting event, but at Maple River, timeouts and halftimes have become an opportunity for the show within the show. Under the guidance of Stephanie Cooper and Chelsey Roberts, the Maple River Cheer squad has been filling the gym with volume and skill thanks to a roster that has surged to 24 girls from grades 7-12. “We had

Athletic Trainer Allison Montag serves Maple River Athletes For folks at the Daily Planet, most of them were completely unaware of Clark Kent and why he was seemingly sitting around taking in the sights. But when an emergency happened? Mild-mannered Clark Kent transformed into Superman and swept in to save the day. In the same way, athletic trainers are often tucked behind water jugs at football games or sitting a few rows behind scoring tables at basketball games, but when c

"It's a Great Day to be an Adult and an Eagle" (Note: The legend of Ned Shuck’s work ethic began in the late 90s when he put in endless time before and after school and before and after the wrestling season. As a young teacher frantically trying to put together enough material to fill the day, I greeted Ned most mornings as he was running the stairs before the break of dawn. The mantra “winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing” pushed Ned to the highest of highs yet it a

"It's a Great Day to Be an Adult and an Eagle" Note: During class, Connor Grunzke was always ‘on’ but directing his focus was pretty tricky. Talking about baseball? He was all in. History? All in. Grammar? No way.  Math? Absolutely not.  Movies? The young man loved his movies, especially war movies. While Covid cut short the 2020 school year, it gave him a chance to reflect on what he wanted in life and what his skills could offer. A family tradition As the son of a Vietnam v

"If you build it, he will (mow)" For the past two decades, Jay Byram has been working behind the scenes of Maple River schools with a solitary purpose: to make the public tax-dollar shine. The 1996 Maple River graduate attended Rochester Community College, where he earned a degree in Horticulture with an emphasis in Golf Course Management. Even though Maple River doesn’t have a golf course within the boundaries of the district, when the position for groundskeeper opened, he l

An inside look at the local museum in Mapleton.

Laureen and Maureen arrived at Maple River together--married local and stayed local--and for more than a decade, taught together at Maple River. This video profile will take a look back on the careers of Mrs. Hollerich and Mrs. Sohre and also show what they've been doing in retirement.

The Maple River drama club will be performing the play Beetlejuice  for the public on November, 7, 8 and 9 at 7 p.m. with a special matinee performance on the 9t at 2 p.m. From auditions to opening night, many hours of planning and practice go into the production.  Director Steve Conover explained the process of selecting a script: “When I'm picking a script, a couple things play into mind. You know, I look at a number of kids that I have, how many males, how many females? If