Students Jasmine Barksdale, Olivia Upham and Jon Fried are surprised with the Making a Difference Award at the December benefit concert. Not pictured is Gabby Frenstad. Photo by Helen Forsythe.

Four teenagers who organized a benefit concert for a family who lost their home in a fire are the December 2011/January 2012 recipients of the Healthy Community Initiative’s  “Making a Difference” Award.  The award celebrates those groups and individuals in the community who have a positive influence on Northfield youth.

Within hours of learning of the Thanksgiving Eve fire that destroyed the home of the Haslett-Marroquin family, ARTech students Gabby Frenstad and Olivia Upham and Northfield High School students Jasmine Barksdale and Jon Fried rallied support for the family through a Facebook page and organized a concert and bake sale.  Their efforts have raised more than $6,500.

“I was incredibly surprised by how amazing the response was,” said Fried.  “Right from when we started organizing, we knew there would be a lot of people involved, and we knew that the event would probably have a good turnout, but it wasn’t until we got a call from the Star Tribune the evening of concert that the impact of what we were doing really hit me.”

Barksdale said her favorite memory of the concert was seeing all the people streaming in through the doors, after worrying that no one would show up.  “I definitely did not expect that many people to be willing to devote their time and money to people who they didn’t really know.  I think it says a lot about the community we live in,” she said.

“What these young people did for our family and for this community’s spirit after our house fire is beyond what we had imagined,” said Reginaldo and Amy Haslett-Marroquin.  “Together with the immense generosity and accompaniment from so many others, they have made our journey bearable and manageable.  The English language does not have a word that would properly express the depth of our gratitude.  What the youth gifted us with was so much more than funds – it was hope, and with hope anything is possible.”

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The Healthy Community Initiative and the Northfield News present the Making a Difference Award cooperatively. If you know an individual or group that you would like to nominate for this award, visit  www.northfieldhci.org for nomination guidelines and the easy-to-complete application — or find HCI on Facebook.  Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and are selected by a review team of HCI board members and local youth.

Article written by Joy Riggs, HCI Board member and freelance writer

The Gregory-Bjorklunds accept their Making a Difference Awards with the cast of West Side Story.

Bob Gregory-Bjorklund and Ann Gregory-Bjorklund are the November recipients of the Healthy Community Initiative (HCI)  “Making a Difference” Award.  The award celebrates those groups and individuals in the community who have a positive influence on Northfield youth.

The Gregory-Bjorklunds were recognized for encouraging and supporting youth through the arts.  Bob, who recently directed a cast of more than 50 teens in the Northfield High School production of West Side Story, is the arts coordinator and an adviser at the Northfield School of Arts and Technology (ARTech).  His wife, Ann, has been involved at ARTech in several roles, including show costumer, Poetry Out Loud judge and substitute teacher.  Both of them have been active for more than a dozen years with the Northfield Arts Guild’s Young People’s Theater Workshop.

“Bob does an excellent job of seeing the potential in each kid.  He plays to that and knows how to tease that out of them in a really elegant fashion,” said Shari Setchell, who choreographed West Side and has worked with Bob on other productions.  “He also really believes in building community and ensembles, so that every kid feels he belongs and is important – which is important in life in general and especially important during a big show.”

ARTech senior Gabby Frenstad said of Ann, “She is always the most fun person in the room.  She is fantastic at communicating with students, and the way she and Bob are able to work together on so many projects is an amazing thing to see.”

Ann said she enjoys seeing students get excited about theater and become better performers.

“Being with kids – it makes you smile, it keeps you young.  It’s a real two-way street.  And when you’re bringing something that you love to the kids, you get back from the kids, too,” she said.

Bob agreed that seeing young people grow as actors and as people is rewarding, and he said he continues to find it as satisfying now as he did when he and Ann moved to Northfield in 1994 and began getting involved in the local arts community.

“One of the reasons that I continue to want to do my work in this community is because I feel valued here for that work, which may not be the case in some other places.  To be recognized that, yes, what you’re doing is valuable – I really appreciate it.  I appreciate getting that feedback,” he said.

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HCI and the Northfield News present the Making a Difference Award cooperatively.  If you know an individual or group that you would like to nominate for this award, click HERE for nomination guidelines and the easy-to-complete application or find HCI on Facebook.  Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and are selected by a review team of HCI board members and local youth.

- Written by Joy Riggs, freelance writer and HCI Board member

“We’ve often referred to him as our positive energy coach,” head coach Bubba Sullian said of Perkins.  “He’s always got a lot of energy, and he does a great job of pumping the kids up – it’s something he’s always brought to our coaching staff and our teams.”

Perkins isn’t able to attend practice every day because of travel commitments with his business, Perkins Marketing, but he makes an effort to participate when he can because he enjoys seeing the players grow as a team.

“I’m a team type of person.  I believe that we do our best work as a group, and that’s why I like football so much,” he said.

Perkins began volunteering with the football team in the early 1990s.  The Ohio native particularly enjoys working with the quarterbacks and the players who are struggling; he played quarterback himself, as well as defensive back, at the high school and college level.

He encouraged other adults to consider getting involved with youth organizations.

“In this time of budget cuts and stress in our community, we have to back our schools,” Perkins said.  “The community can only be better if we’re united and stand behind our kids.”

HCI and the Northfield News present the Making a Difference Award cooperatively.  If you know an individual or group that you would like to nominate for this award, click HERE for nomination guidelines and the easy-to-complete application.  Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and are selected by a review team of HCI board members and local youth.

2010-11 Promise Fellows (from left) Rachel Woldum, Jordan Taylor, and Clare Dudzinski (not pictured, Mundo Garza)

Through a partnership with the Minnesota Alliance With Youth, the four Promise Fellows worked at the Northfield Middle School, Northfield High School, the Area Learning Center, The Key, and the Healthy Community Initiative.

• Clare Dudzinski, from Wilmette, Ill., met with students to offer tutoring, homework help and personal support.  She helped facilitate the after-school enrichment program at the Middle School Youth Center and an evening homework help group.
• Mundo Garza, from Laredo, Texas, worked with the Northfield TORCH (Tackling Obstacles and Raising College Hopes) program, and the high school’s Student Support Team, which identifies at-risk students and helps address their academic and personal issues.
• Jordan Taylor, from Hutchinson, Minn., worked for the Healthy Community Initiative on a variety of youth-focused initiatives, collaborating with groups including the Northfield Mayor’s Youth Council, the Northfield Mayor’s Task Force on Youth Alcohol & Drug Use, and the Northfield Union of Youth.
• Rachel Woldum, from Tulsa, Ok., provided support to ALC students, helped support existing programs at the Key and start new ones, ran the Main Street Mentors program, and assisted with grants.

Dudzinski and Garza recently completed their first years as Promise Fellows, and Taylor and Woldum completed their second years.

“I can’t say enough about what an asset Rachel has been to the Key these past two years, or what an incredible impact the Promise Fellows have had on the Northfield community,” said Amy Merritt, executive director of the Union of Youth.  “At the Key, Rachel has been integral in creating and sustaining programs, leading volunteer activities, and serving as a mentor and role model to literally hundreds of Northfield youth.  She is a fantastic example of how an AmeriCorps Promise Fellow can strengthen an organization and a community.  In addition, the Fellows have worked collaboratively to build on and strengthen the relationships between their organizations.”

Marnie Thompson, assistant principal at Northfield High School, echoed Merritt’s praise, saying the contributions by the four Promise Fellows have been extraordinary.

“They have made great connections with kids and adults in our community and understand the importance of relationships in helping students be successful,” Thompson said.

The Healthy Community Initiative and the Northfield News present the Making a Difference Award cooperatively. If you know an individual or group that you would like to nominate for this award, visit www.northfieldhci.org for nomination guidelines and the easy-to-complete application or find HCI on Facebook.  Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and are selected by a review team of HCI board members and local youth.

The college students volunteered throughout the school year assisting high school TORCH students who took online classes through Riverland Community College.  The tutors were: Lynsey Bernfell, Annie Boucher, Samantha Ellerbeck, Becca Kilman, Carrie Paulette, Emily Schickli and Nick Welna.

The tutors planned weekly study sessions for the TORCH students and developed activities or led discussions relating to the coursework.

“What’s noticeable about the group of students who serve as TAs for us is they’re passionate, and they’re always looking for ways to reach out to students and to be helpful,” said Jason Hallen, the TORCH post secondary education opportunity (PSEO) liaison.  “I think our TAs are really impressive.  It’s very fitting that they receive this award.  They do amazing things.”

Northfield TORCH (Tackling Obstacles and Raising College Hopes) is a collaborative that seeks to improve the graduation and post-secondary participation rates of Northfield’s minority students, low-income students, and youth who would be first-generation college attendees.  Since TORCH began in 2005, the graduation rate for Northfield’s Latino students has climbed from 36 percent to more than 90 percent.

HCI and the Northfield News present the Making a Difference Award cooperatively.  If you know an individual or group that you would like to nominate for this award, click HERE for nomination guidelines and the easy-to-complete application — or find HCI on Facebook.  Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and are selected by a review team of HCI board members and local youth.

Members of YES receive the “Most Creative Food Drive” award from Minnesota FoodShare.

The Bethel Lutheran Church group Youth Energized to Serve (Y.E.S.) is the May recipient of the Healthy Community Initiative “Making a Difference” Award.  The award celebrates those groups and individuals in the community who have a positive influence on Northfield youth.

The youth group coordinated the church’s March food drive and raised $14,035 and 158 pounds of food for the Food Shelf at the Community Action Center of Northfield.  Assisted by adult coordinator Cindy Kreis and youth ministries director Barb Farmer, the 30 middle school and high school students raised awareness about the food drive by making posters, setting up displays and presenting skits in front of the congregation each week with the theme, “Mission Impossible: Not with Your Help.”

“I think the adults really enjoyed the energy from the kids, and the creative way they presented it.  It was a serious subject, but they made it fun.  People looked forward to hearing what the kids had to say,” Farmer said.

The youth group received the “Most Creative Food Drive” award from Minnesota FoodShare, an organization that directs the March Campaign, the largest food drive in the state.  The students were nominated by Judy Bickel, Community Action Center program director.

In her nomination, Bickel wrote, “The students are highly respected among congregation members for their excellent service, and they’re learning firsthand that they can make a significant contribution to their community.”

The Healthy Community Initiative and the Northfield News present the Making a Difference Award cooperatively. If you know an individual or group that you would like to nominate for this award, visit  http://northfieldhci.org/awards/ for nomination guidelines and the easy-to-complete application — or find HCI on Facebook.  Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and are selected by a review team of HCI board members and local youth.

Vicki Dilley is surrounded by outgoing and incoming Rotary exchange students.

Rotary Youth Exchange Officer Vicki Dilley is the April 2011 recipient of the Healthy Community Initiative “Making a Difference” Award.  The award celebrates those groups and individuals in the community who have a positive influence on Northfield youth.

Dilley oversees the application process for Northfield students who want to go abroad through Rotary, and she supports students from other countries who spend the year in Northfield.  This year, a record 15 students from Northfield are living abroad, and five students from other countries have been spending the year with Northfield families.

“It’s so exciting for me to see them go through what’s sometimes a painful growth experience, trying to make sense of the world, and figure out where they belong in it,” Dilley said.

Dilley and her husband, Lee, served as Peace Corps volunteers for 3 1/2 years on the Polynesian island of Tuvalu.  They so appreciated the warm hospitality of the people there, they decided to reciprocate by hosting students when they moved to Northfield.  That led to Dilley taking the Rotary position in 2006, and the program has continued to grow.  Next year, there will be 16 outgoing students and four or five incoming students.

“Vicky has great personal warmth and kindness that exchange students – and everyone else – find comforting,” said Jan Stevens, who served as youth exchange officer before Dilley.

When asked why cultural exchange is such a popular option for Northfield students, Dilley said it’s due to support from Rotary club members, the school counselors, and the families who are willing to host students.  She also credited her husband for supporting her passion to work with exchange students.

“My ultimate hope and dream is just to bring world peace and understanding.  I really believe it begins on an individual basis, having a real global understanding as well as having an understanding of one’s self,” Dilley said.

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The Healthy Community Initiative and the Northfield News present the Making a Difference Award cooperatively. If you know an individual or group that you would like to nominate for this award, visit HCI for nomination guidelines and the easy-to-complete application — or find HCI on Facebook.  Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and are selected by a review team of HCI board members and local youth.

Malecha, who owns Willie’s Shoe Service, was selected for his commitment to volunteering at Bridgewater Elementary School.  He walks or bikes to school once a week to eat breakfast with the students.

The father of grown children, Malecha said he saw an ad in the newspaper about the need for volunteers.  He thought about it for the rest of the school year, and, encouraged by his wife, he called the school in the fall and showed up the next day.  He’s now in his fourth year of volunteering.

Malecha spends 30 to 40 minutes with the students at each visit, discussing topics like the weather, upcoming holidays, and what is new in their lives.

“It’s enjoyable to hear the things they say,” he said.  “They ask questions back, and a lot of times one will say to another, ‘Is that your dad?’”

Bridgewater Principal Nancy Antoine said students like spending time with Malecha because he’s easy-going and enjoys being with them.

“The success of a student depends a lot on the relationships that they are able to build with others.  Randy has taken the time to build relationships with the students at Bridgewater by listening to them at breakfast and sharing their excitement for the day,” Antoine said.  “His service to the Bridgewater children is greatly appreciated!”

The Healthy Community Initiative and the Northfield News present the Making a Difference Award cooperatively. If you know an individual or group that you would like to nominate for this award, visit  the HCI website for nomination guidelines and the easy-to-complete application or find HCI on Facebook.  Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and are selected by a review team of HCI board members and local youth.

If so, take just a couple of minutes and nominate them for HCI’s “Making a Difference Award.”

You can find the application HERE – it’s super easy-to-complete!

A new winner is selected each month.   Recipients are recognized in the Northfield News and receive a framed certificate.

Gabriel Rysdahl, right, has been a Project Friendship mentor for three years.

Gabriel Rysdahl, a senior at St. Olaf College, is the January recipient of the Northfield Healthy Community Initiative’s (HCI) “Making a Difference Award.”  The award celebrates those groups and individuals in the community who have a positive influence on Northfield youth.

January is National Mentoring Month, and Rysdahl was selected for his commitment to mentoring youth for the past three years through Project Friendship.  Project Friendship is a mentoring program that matches St. Olaf and Carleton students with Northfield youth in grades 2-7.

Rysdahl mentors two youth, meeting with each of them once a week to do activities they enjoy, like playing soccer, going to a movie, skateboarding or playing guitar.

“Mentoring allows me to break my St. Olaf bubble and experience the lives of my mentees,” he said.  “I learn so much from ‘my guys’ and also am able to help them out with issues they may be going through.  I was young once also and can relate so well to the struggles and joys of a young guy’s life.”

Rysdahl recommends mentoring to anyone who enjoys kids and wants to become involved in the community.

“There’s no agenda, other than to hang out and spend time with each other.  It’s a great program,” he said.

Kathy Lansing, community director of Project Friendship, said Rysdahl has recruited many new mentors to the program by setting a positive example on campus.

“He has a sunshine smile and just looks like someone you can trust to be a good friend.  He is that!” she said.

HCI and the Northfield News present the Making a Difference Award cooperatively. If you know an individual or group that you would like to nominate for this award, click HERE for nomination guidelines and the easy-to-complete application or find HCI on Facebook.  Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and are selected by a review team of HCI board members and local youth.