Each August in Maple Grove Magazine’s Prep Elite issue, we highlight students who excel in various and interesting ways among their peers. This year, we bring you five high school seniors, who uniquely influence fashion, commerce, social change, and legal and social justice through their lives in and out of the classroom. These young people are utilizing their talents and opportunities through their schools and communities to learn, create and take action with the ability to positively influence those around them.
Read about where they’ve been and where they’re headed.
Elijah Barlue
Osseo Senior High
Goals for the year?
Academically, I want to continue to strengthen my resume for college; finishing in the top 10 percent of my class, involving myself in as many extracurricular activities, et cetera. Athletically, I want to push myself on the basketball court and football field and try to obtain scholarship offers.
Dream job?
CEO or mechanical engineer.
Proudest moment?
Raising my GPA of 3.2 freshmen year to 3.65 at the end of sophomore year.
Activities: Varsity basketball, varsity football, band, Osseo Junior Rotarian, Student Ambassador, Focus Leader, Class Committee and founder/owner of Visionary Clothing Co.
What most people don’t know?
My favorite TV series is Pretty Little Liars—too much drama in there for it not to be my favorite.
What ways do you use social media?
Communicating with friends and family. It’s also a form of entertainment.
What tech do you use to stay in touch with friends?
Mostly through Snapchat. It’s the easy way to keep in touch during the day. After school, I tend to text or Snapchat them.
“Elijah moved to Minnesota from Liberia when he was five years old. He started his own clothing brand in 8th grade. The company’s motto is: Think Big, Dream Big.”
—Michelle Mazanec, college and career specialist at Osseo Senior High
Brenna Saladin
Maple Grove Senior High
Goals for the year?
To do well in school. I also hope to do well on the AP tests I am taking, so that I will be able to potentially get college credit for all the work I’ve put in. In addition, I hope that the Maple Grove Girls Varsity Soccer team will be able to make it to state again.
Dream job?
Veterinarian. I really love science and animals, so combining the two would really be the best possible scenario.
Proudest moment?
Making it to the High School Soccer State Tournament and placing second. It was the first time our program had ever made it to state. I’m proud of the work the team put in throughout the season to make it that far, and I’m proud that we were able to do it together. Even though we faced a loss in the end, we were still able to make memories and history.
Activities: Soccer, ultimate Frisbee, mock trial, Crimson Animal and Welfare Sciences Club, National Honor Society, saxophone and guitar
What most people don’t know?
When I get the chance, I like writing some short stories and poems. I don’t often share what I write.
What ways do you use social media?
To stay up-to-date with what is happening in the world. It becomes like a news source for me because I can follow certain journalists or politicians and am able to see multiple perspectives of one issue as compared to a traditional TV news show. I also use it to connect with my friends by sharing funny videos or photos that I see.
What tech do you use to stay in touch with friends?
During the day at school, I meet with my friends between classes and hang out with them after school, too. I use text messaging to connect with most people throughout the entire day.
“Brenna became a vital member of the Mock Trial team as a freshman and helped lead her team to the regional playoffs last year.”
—Mike Vecellio, college and career specialist at Maple Grove Senior High
Elijah Krieg
Maranatha Christian Academy
Goals for the year?
I want to finish up high school with a 4.0 GPA, play varsity in all of my sports (football, basketball and baseball) and get accepted into the Carlson School of Management at the University
of Minnesota.
Dream job?
Run my own business.
Proudest moment?
Earning a varsity letter at three different schools (MCA, Osseo and Providence Academy).
Activities: Varsity football, basketball and baseball for Maranatha, downhill skiing, hunting, camping and snowmobiling, National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society.
What most people don’t know?
I’ve played piano for over nine years.
What ways do you use social media?
To catch up with friends, learn new things and for entertainment.
What tech do you use to stay in touch with friends?
At school, I usually talk to my friends during passing time or whenever I have a break in class. After school, I keep in touch with my friends through various types of social media and during sports practices and other after school activities like working out at Game Face and Life Time Fitness.
“Elijah has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, visited Japan and was a finalist in Maranatha’s annual Shark Tank competition.”
—Tim Ford, principal at Maranatha Christian Academy Upper School
Caroline Mahowald
Providence Academy
Goals for the year?
I want to work hard during the year to be the best I can be and take time to appreciate my family and friends during a hectic senior year.
Dream job?
Pediatric ophthalmologist or orthodontist.
Proudest moment?
When I organized a food drive at my school with my friends. We got the whole high school involved, and we were able to donate about 500 pounds of food for Interfaith Outreach’s Prevent Hunger Campaign.
Activities: varsity soccer and basketball, Maplebrook club soccer, Interfaith Outreach Youth Ambassador, Midwest 3-on-3 basketball referee and National Honor Society
What most people don’t know?
I am amazing in Nerf wars against my little brother.
In what ways do you use social media?
To keep up with friends and to get local, national and international news.
What tech do you use to stay in touch with friends?
It is very easy to keep up with my friends at school because I am in classes with a lot of them, due to the small class size. I am also with my friends after school, at school soccer or basketball and club soccer. For the friends I don’t play sports with, or if they go to a different school, I mostly use Snapchat and Instagram.
“Caroline is an excellent student, talented athlete and a flourishing servant leader ... she also earned the rare recognition of being named a girls’ soccer captain as a junior. Her gifts in leadership [also] translate to service and mission work.”
—Erica Winegar, marketing and communications coordinator at Providence Academy
Maya Argenta
Benilde-St. Margaret’s School
Goals for the year?
To make it through high school alive, make lots of new friends and continue to be a strong leader.
Dream job?
To teach children in impoverished countries all around the world.
Proudest moment?
Being named a captain of my swim team and watching the students I tutor get better and better.
Activities: Speech (captain), swimming (team captain), drama, Teens Against Distracted Driving Club (created the branch at BSM which has hundreds of members, co-president), Link Crew, Student Ambassador, National Honor Society and Red Knight Volunteer Corps.
What most people don’t know?
I plan to visit all seven continents before I’m 40.
What ways do you use social media?
To keep in touch with my friends and sports. I also think that social media should be used to help influence positive change and keep in touch with people you don’t get to see every day. It is a great way to express my opinions and to learn about what other people are passionate about and talk with people who have different opinions than we do.
What tech do you use to stay in touch with friends?
I use Snapchat and Instagram primarily. I love that I am able to talk to my friends that I don’t get to see face-to-face on a consistent basis. I keep up with my school friends through extracurriculars, social media and during classes, too.
“Maya is amazing! Involved in way too many things and a stellar student, [she] volunteers a ton with local organizations and just has a really good heart.
—Hannah Tessien, communications specialist at Benilde-St. Margaret’s School
