2016-17 Seniors

This month features this past season's seniors, all of whom have now graduated from their respective schools. Read about where seniors are going after high school! 
This post will go in alphabetical order, as the Facebook posts did. This is the information I received. If plans have changed since then, I apologize. Congratulations to all the seniors, and good luck in your future endeavors! Enjoy!

Maja Belle Johnson

Maja graduated from Blue Earth Area High School and plans to go to the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, ND, where she received an academic scholarship. She plans on majoring in anthropology. During her high school career, Maja participated in Chamber Singers, Jazz Band, and Art Club, along with the Mankato Area Youth Symphony Orchestra, and she plans on participating in the orchestra during college. Maja's favorite part about MAYSO was that "you had to work hard because you only met once a week." 

Advice: "Practice every day at home; you can't rely on the weekly rehearsals to learn the pieces."

Mary Joyce

Mary graduated from St. Mary's Catholic School, and she will be moving on to the University of Wisconsin - Madison to get a degree in physical training. She received the Bellermine scholarship for merit. Her high school activities, besides MAYSO, included cross country, track, Knowledge Bowl, Schola (school church choir), musicals, and soccer. She hopes to participate in band and inter-mural soccer in college.

AdviCe: "Half of Life is what you do; the other half is who you do it with. Make friends wherever you go and don't be afraid to try things off the beaten path."

Zachary Keegan Riehl

Zachary graduated from Mankato East Senior High School and wants to major in Software Engineering at the University of Minnesota, where he received the Iron Range Scholarship. His high school activities included Varsity Tennis/Captain, band, jazz band, cross country, orchestra, MAYSO, MAYWE, Suzuki Summer Pops, Junior Team Tennis, and Gustavus Honor Band. Honors he received includes Band Varsity Letter, Academic Letters, Varsity Tennis Letters, and Academic All-State Tennis. He hopes to participate in "some sort of music ensemble" and school clubs for Tennis during college. His favorite part of MAYSO was that the "music is fun to play, and the rehearsals have a light and fun atmosphere."

Advice: "Practice, practice, practice, and have fun."

Hattie Peach

Hattie graduated from Waterville-Elysian-Morristown High School, having participated in Student Government, Track and Field, Drama Club, Knowledge Bowl, National Honors Society, Chamber Choir, Fall and Spring Theatrical Productions, WEMStock, Suzuki Violin Graduation Levels 0-6, and the Mankato Grand Ole Opry. As for MAYSO, she says, "MAYSO was an incredible experience that helped enrich my high school experience."

She plans to go to the University of Minnesota in Duluth, MN, where she plans to participate in the U of M Duluth Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra. She hopes to get a B.A. in Music. Hattie has received quite a few scholarships, including the Omnibus Music Scholarship from UMD and an American Family Insurance Scholarship, along with local support from the WEM Fine Arts Booster, Morristown Commercial Club, Al Roemhildt, and National Choral Award.

Advice: "Enjoy the little things, like extra-long breaks and Dr. Rogers bad jokes. It goes by incredibly fast." 

Lydia Petersen

Lydia graduated from Minnesota Valley Lutheran high school, and she plans on going to Bethany Lutheran College to pursue a degree in Secondary Art Education. She received an Art Scholarship, as well as an Academic Scholarship. Her high school activities included cross country, track, golf, art club, and Student Council secretary. She says she "enjoyed the music experience from MAYSO" the most, as well as "getting to know people with the same musical interests."

Thomas Prahl

Thomas graduated from Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial High School and will be moving on to Gustavus Adolphus College to major in Music Education with an instrumental focus. 

Participation in MAYSO and MAYWE provided a series of unique experiences that I will use in my career. Through the orchestra, I learned the specific techniques and styles of new forms of performance, such as our joint series with the Minnesota Valley Chorale, and enjoyed new repertoire. My hope for future seniors is that they continue to build working relationships inside of the ensemble that help the program flourish as an opportunity for young musicians. On a selfish note, I hope that programs such as this can be widely available for my future students.

Ashton Schultz

Ashton graduated from Grace Christian School, and he might head to Cedarville University in Ohio to major in business.