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Marti Maraden (RHS '63) Marti Maraden is a legend of the Canadian stage. Her career has included many years as a classical actor in the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, North America's largest classical repertory theatre. She has since served as Artistic Director of the National Arts Centre English Theatre in Ottawa and is now a freelance stage director. Q: Can you describe any early theatre experiences that were especially meaningful or formative for you? MARTI MARADEN: In my first year at Robbinsdale High, I was on crew for Pygmalion and The King and I, then played Anne Frank in my senior year—my first acting role. Some years later, I visited Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, and was deeply moved—all the more so because I had portrayed this extraordinary girl and had imagined so vividly what it must have been like to live through her harrowing last years. Q: At what point did your future in theatre become clear? Did you consider other paths? |
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Michael Goldstein (AHS '85) Q: You credit several teachers in the Robbinsdale district as profound influences on you and your work. Can you name a few? MICHAEL GOLDSTEIN: There are so many. I remember Miss Nichols and Mrs. Judy who were my Kindergarten and first grade teachers (respectively) along with Mrs. Utech who was the principal at Olson. When I first went to school, I had separation anxiety and they were great in trying to help me acclimate to school. In sixth grade, Mr. Reeves, Mr. Johnson and Mrs. Finkelsen all did great things to make school fun. In Junior High, there was Mr. Newstrom and Mrs. Delapp in Social Studies; Mr. Walerius in Math; Mr. Lenz and Mr. Homme in Science; Mrs. Anderson and Mr. Shaff in English along with Mr. McFarland for weightlifting. Each pushed me along academically and offered challenges that helped me become a better learner. Lastly, Mr. Hermerding was absolutely one of the coolest people I have had the chance to know. |
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Rachel Brady (CHS '08) Q: You have a passion for international peace and justice issues. Was the International Baccalaureate program at Cooper influential in developing that passion? Rachel Brady: It definitely was. IB instilled in me an eagerness to explore and the curiosity to learn about the world from a global mindset. It challenged me to think critically. As a result, the academic transition to college was really easy, and I give IB credit for that. |
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Eric Howell (AHS '89) Eric Howell: I didn't know how creative I was until my last semester of high school in my photography class. I was all signed up for Navy ROTC, then I got a camera and fell in love with shooting photos. In earlier years as a kid I had made 8mm movies with my father's camera but never considered it a possible career opportunity. After graduating from Armstrong, I got a job as a Special Effects Assistant on a feature film called Drop Dead Fred. I spent that summer rigging stunts and special effects. The motion picture business fascinated me as it was full of eccentric people with incredible skills—and all of them had their own assistants! That was the last notion I ever had of going into the Navy. |
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Tom Dooher Tom Dooher and Robbinsdale Area Schools go way back. After graduating from Robbinsdale Armstrong High School ('81) and the College of St. Thomas, he taught physical education at Armstrong, Sandburg Middle School, and the Technology Learning Campus. Tom is currently president of Education Minnesota, which represents over 70,000 teachers and education support professionals in the state. Prior to his election in 2007, Tom served as president of the Robbinsdale Federation of Teachers for ten years. He and his wife Denise, also an Armstrong graduate and now a music teacher in the Robbinsdale district, live in Brooklyn Park. Q: You've seen the Robbinsdale district from every angle, including as a student. Were there any district teachers who had a particularly strong influence on you? TOM DOOHER: When I think back to the great experiences I had, I think of Ann Forseman, my 3rd grade teacher at Crystal Heights Elementary. She had this obvious enthusiasm for learning, and made her classroom fun and inviting. Then there was Dick Schirmacher, the choir director at Sandburg. He made it seem “cool” for boys to be involved in singing, and he expanded our world beyond our comfort zone. And there was Odney Hegrenes, my calculus teacher at Armstrong. He found a way to relate a complicated subject to 17- and 18-year olds and showed us how the subject applied in our own lives. Click here to read more about Tom |
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Todd Richards Robbinsdale Armstrong High School graduate and Crystal native Todd Richards has been named the new head coach for the Minnesota Wild NHL hockey team. His new assignment follows a playing and coaching career that took him around the world, most recently as assistant coach for the San Jose Sharks during their league-leading 2008-09 season. We caught up with Todd as he prepared for his first season with the Wild. Q: It's been quite a world tour for you since you graduated from Armstrong and the University of Minnesota—Canada, Switzerland, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Florida, California… What are your thoughts about returning to Minnesota? Todd Richards: I'm excited about the upcoming year in many ways. I'm really looking forward to exposing my kids to Minnesota hockey—especially high school hockey. So many great memories there. Click here to read more about Todd... |
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Sian Ricketts (CHS '03) After graduating from Robbinsdale Cooper High School in 2003, oboist Sian Ricketts attended the Northwestern University School of Music in Evanston, Illinois. Along the way, Sian has won numerous honors including First Place in the 2003 Schubert Club and Thursday Musical Competitions. In May 2007, Sian performed at an invitational concert at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. She is currently pursuing a Masters in Music at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Q: Can you recall any especially strong influences during your years in the Robbinsdale district? Sian Ricketts: Kay Miller, my third grade teacher at Sonnesyn, was especially influential in my development as a person and as a student. She's still a close family friend, and I try to see her whenever I am in Minnesota. As for academics, the classes and the quality of teaching I experienced whilst a student in the International Baccalaureate program at Cooper were on par with any classes I took at Northwestern. Click here to read more about Sian ... |
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Ember Reichgott Junge (RHS '70) Since graduating from Robbinsdale High School in 1970, Ember Reichgott Junge has pursued an active and multifaceted career in and out of the public spotlight, including 18 years in the Minnesota Senate. She credits her time in Robbinsdale Area Schools as a key ingredient to her success. Q: Can you recall Robbinsdale teachers who had a particularly strong influence on you? Amber Reichgott Junge: Three teachers had a profound effect on me. Dr. Harvey Hummel taught "enriched" biology at Robbinsdale High School. He instilled a deep curiosity in me, as well as the ability to ask good questions and a passion for learning. He gave me confidence that I could make a difference. Click here to read more about Ember ... |
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Scott Nadeau (CHS '84) |
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Kimberly Bowman (AHS '84) |
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Mike Houck (RHS '77) |
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Great Grads
