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Friday, March 7 North Branch High School recognized EXCEL and Triple A Award winners at the halftime of the boys' basketball game.

The EXCEL Award is given yearly to juniors who participate in fine arts and athletic activities, demonstrate leadership and do volunteer work in the community.

This year's recipients are Gretchen Ziegler and Tom Mork

Ziegler, daughter of Bob and Kathy Ziegler, participates in cross country, track, band and the Fall Musical. Academically, she is an honor roll student who is a member of National Honor Society, Math League, and Knowledge Bowl. She volunteers as a peer tutor, at highway clean up and at the Arts Fest.

Tom Mork, son of Barb and Steve Mork, participates in soccer, wrestling, and band. He is a member of National Honor Society and has been involved in many volunteer activities including the Green Acres Country Fest, Trick of Can, the Arts Fest, and Feed My Starving Children.

Each year the Minnesota State High School League honors seniors with the Triple A award. This award goes to students who excel in academics, arts and athletics. The North Branch Triple A winner this year is Amanda Johnson.

Johnson is the daughter of Craig and Cynthia Johnson. She has been a recipient of the Spotlight on Scholarship award for three years, is a member of Math League, National Honor Society and Knowledge Bowl. She is a tennis player whose team won the state academic team championship in her sophomore and junior years and she was named to the all-conference tennis team last fall. In the Spring she participates in track and was an all-conference honorable mention pole vaulter in 2007.

She is an active member of band and works at her church and at Family Pathways. After graduation, she plans to attend Dartmouth and become a radiologist.

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