Six SoWashCo Schools Juniors Nominated for the 2023 ExCEL Awards

Six South Washington County Schools (SoWashCo Schools) students have been nominated for the Minnesota State High School League’s (MSHSL) ExCEL Awards. ExCEL (Excellence in Community, Education and Leadership) is a unique recognition program designed exclusively for Minnesota high school juniors who engage in school activities, show leadership qualities, volunteer in their communities and are model citizens.

East Ridge High School (ERHS) has nominated juniors Tanner Zolnosky and Anjali Nambudiri, Park High School (PHS) has nominated juniors Rebecca Etten and Taran Blasy, and Woodbury High School (WHS) has nominated juniors Sarah Rundquist and Andrew Amoah to represent their schools.

East Ridge High School 

Tanner Zolnosky is one of the captains of the East Ridge football team. As the team’s quarterback, he was named District Offensive Player of the Year, All-District Team and Star Tribune Prep Player of the Week. Tanner loves to participate in track and field and is on the A honor roll. Tanner serves as a youth football coach and actively volunteers at Feed My Starving Children, Loaves and Fishes, Union Gospel Mission, Hope for the Holidays and Tackle Cancer. 

Anjali Nambudiri is active in several school activities at East Ridge including tennis, debate, orchestra, Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), and the National Honor Society (NHS). She is currently ranked in the top 40 nationally for debate. Anjali is East Ridge's 1st chair violinist and is part of the school's SEC Honors Orchestra. She is also the President of the school's HOSA club, volunteers as a math tutor, youth tennis coach, and a school ambassador. 

Park High School

Park High School’s Rebecca Etten is a two-time letter winner in tennis, captain of the trap team and an active competitor on the softball team. She is also involved in orchestra and speech, and actively participates in clubs such as Student Council, Key Club, Link Crew, National Honor Society, Leaders of the Pack, and the Homecoming committee. Rebecca is also very involved in the community, volunteering at youth sports camps, Feed My Starving Children, Salvation Army bell ringing, and UNICEF.

Park High School’s Taran Blasy is a two-year letter winner in football and received All-District honors this year. He is captain of the track and field team, and an active competitor on the wrestling team. In addition, Taran is a member of the school’s ICC Leadership Council and Leaders of the Pack. Outside of school, he volunteers with his church and youth sports camps, as well as with Feed My Starving Children.

Woodbury High School

Woodbury High School’s Sarah Rundquist has been a student in the Spanish Immersion program since kindergarten and has received Academic Honor Roll recognition during her three years in high school. She is a three-year letter winner as a member of the swim and dive team, plays violin and piano as a member of the Royal Chamber and Concert Orchestra and has been recognized as a SEC Honors Orchestra member. Sarah is involved in a variety of clubs at WHS including Link Crew, Peer Tutoring, Health Occupation Students of America, Key Club, serves as co-president of the Tri-M Music Honors Society, and holds leadership roles in the National Honor Society. Sarah is involved in her church, Living Room Tutors and is an active volunteer at community events.

Andrew Amoah has received academic Honor Roll recognition in his three years at Woodbury High School. Andrew plays the flute, piccolo, and tenor saxophone. He participates in the Pep Band and Marching Band, and is a member of the Jazz and Woodwind Ensemble and has been a Suburban East Conference Honors Band and Orchestra member. He is a member of  Key Club, Tri-M Music Honor Society, Royal Ambassadors, Royal Connections, Student Ambassador Committee, Yearbook, Black Student Union, Ignite and Red Cross. Within the community, Andrew is an active member of his church and has volunteered at Toys for Tots and Girls Dream Code. 

This is the 27th year that the MSHSL has sponsored the ExCEL Award. An independent panel of judges from schools throughout Minnesota will select ExCEL Award recipients. Award winners will be announced via the MSHSL website in February and will be recognized on KSTC-TV (Channel 45) during the 2023 winter state tournaments broadcast. 

SoWashCo Schools wishes all our nominees congratulations and is very excited to see what these outstanding students do in the future.