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Central High School (Saint Paul, Minnesota)
Encyclopedia
Central High School of Saint Paul
, is the oldest high school in the state of Minnesota
, United States
. Founded in 1866 in downtown Saint Paul, Central has educated many leaders in business, government, literature, arts, sciences, and education throughout the state of Minnesota and the United States. Central also boasts more Rhodes Scholars among its alumni than any other public high school in the U.S. with the most recent scholar, Matthew Landreman, being announced in 2003.
It is also one of the biggest high schools in the state and, as of 2011, the second largest in the city of Saint Paul, next to Harding Senior High School on the east side of the city. It is also a national Blue Ribbon School
.
graduating class consisted of 12 students: five boys and seven girls.
In 1873, the graduating class of 12 students originated the custom of presenting each senior with a souvenir appropriate to his/her character. For several years, a prize was offered for the best essay: a Webster's Unabridged Dictionary and a holder for it. The President of the Board of Education also presented a prize to the one having the highest standing in the class, usually a fine set of Shakespeare's works.
A new building opened in 1883 at 10th and Minnesota streets. The building was the first high school built in Saint Paul. In 1888, a 14-room annex was added for laboratories, but there was no money for an astronomical observatory. The Debate society decided to put on plays to make up the money to pay for it. Soon, Central was known as the only high school in the United States to have a fixed telescope with a lens ground and polished by the great telescope maker Alvan Clark
(1804–1887), whose company built some of the largest and best telescopes in the world, including the telescope for the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. Mechanics Arts High School, then known as Manual Training High School, was first housed in the basement of Central. The school was renamed Central High School in 1888.
Soon the building on 10th and Minnesota Street became too small, and the corner of Marshall and Lexington Avenues was chosen as the new site.
A new school, designed by Clarence H. Johnston, Sr.
, was built in 1912 on the corner of Marshall Avenue and Lexington Parkway, and was attempted to be renamed Lexington High School; alumni, however, wanted to keep the moniker Central High School. A compromise was reached when the Minuteman
was adopted as a logo and mascot
. In other words, the name of the school was retained, but for those who wanted the school to be named "Lexington," its logo and mascot were named after the colonial militia men of 1775 at Lexington, Massachusetts, who fought against the British in the first skirmishes of the War of Independence, and were required to be ready at a minute's notice. The adjacent stadium was built in the early 1940s by the WPA (Works Progress Administration
), as denoted by a plaque on the brick facade of the stands. It was renamed James Griffin Stadium
in 1998.
1912 Marshall/Lexington building construction:
Working name – West End High School
Proposed name – Lexington High School
Final name – Central High School
Architect - Clarence H. Johnston Sr. - prominent Saint Paul architect, studied architecture in Saint Paul as well as MIT, and the École des Beaux-Arts
in Paris, travelled Europe and Asia. Also designed houses for Summit Ave, buildings for the University of Minn, many others.
Architectural Artist – JC Trott (employed by the architect)
Style – Collegiate Gothic
Land purchased – 1909
Designed – 1909–1910
Building Permit Issued – May 31, 1910
Builder – C. Ash Company
Construction started – 1910
Ready for occupancy – 1911 (old school dropped from City Directory)
Cornerstone laid – April, 1912 (building completed)
Flagpole installed – 1914
New gymnasium – 1924 (added to the west side of the school, replacing the old one in the top floor of the middle section; see 1925 yearbook, history of Johnston's career, and spps history document)
Stadium – 1940/1943 depending on the source (building permits or spps).
Cost for 1909–1943 – $650,000 (not counting maintenance, heating, etc.)
in 1979, the "castle" exterior was removed or overlaid with cement, a pool and other athletic facilities were added, and the interior was gutted and rebuilt. The building now uses only the structural frame of the previous building. This resulted in a joke amongst students that it was designed by a prison architect because of the school's rather utilitarian exterior, metal gates, and few windows on ground level. Until 2006 a barbed wire fence extended around Griffin Stadium
and portions of the school facing Interstate 94
and Lexington contributing to the joke. Larry Millett
, a local architecture critic described the building as, "The nadir of modern school architecture in Saint Paul, a building so resolutely grim and uninviting that it suggests that education can only be viewed as a form of incarceration."
program since 1988. Central has the second largest IB program in the state of Minnesota. Students may also take Advanced Placement
classes and their subsequent tests. Central was the only high school in Minnesota to be honored by the Siemens Foundation
in their 2007-08 Siemens Awards for Advanced Placement. Central received the award for "its commitment to students and leadership in AP participation and performance". In 1970 Central began to offer the Quest program, the first gifted and talented program approved by Saint Paul Public Schools. This humanities based program was started in order to offer in-depth topics in the humanities that were not available in normal classes. The program continues to challenge students to think independently and to learn from each other and from the teacher in a discussion-based approach towards learning
. Over 15 Quest classes are currently offered including classes on world culture, ancient civilizations, the Harlem Renaissance
and Shakespeare
literature. Central has participated in the University of Minnesota
‘s College in the Schools
program since 1994.
, San Francisco, and Chicago
. Central musicians have a tradition of first place awards and superior ratings at local, state, and national festivals and competitions. The Central Concert Band and Orchestra were selected to perform at the 2007 MMEA
Mid Winter Clinic. The Central Concert Choir performed at the ACDA-MN 2006 Fall Convention and the Central Singers were selected to perform at the 2007 Choral Arts Finale at Orchestra Hall
. The Central Orchestra performed at Orchestra Hall in January 2007, opening for the Minnesota Orchestra, as part of the Music-Up-Close series. The Central IB Music program offers instruction in music theory, history, composition, and solo-performance.
. More recently, Central's athletics programs displayed their dominance when they won the 2008 St. Paul City Conference in every fall athletics category.
2006 baseball
The Bill Peterson led squad won conference for the first time in 41 years. "A-Squad" took fourth place in sections, falling to St. Thomas Academy in a shoot out 14–13 in extra frames.
In the 2006–2007 season, the Central high school girls basketball team set a state record for most victories in a single season, going 32–0 en route to the class AAAA state championship. During their perfect season, Central was considered by some to be the best team in the history of Minnesota High School girls basketball. Central beat their opponents by an average of 44 points per game, averaged 86 PPG and had all five starters average more than 10 PPG. Angel Robinson broke state records for steals in a single season and most career steals. In addition, the 2006–2007 girls basketball team served as grand marshals for the 2007 Rondo Days
parade.
Central would make history again the following year. Central won back-to-back state championships for the first time in school history, once again beating arch-rival Minneapolis South 49–44. This happened after Central lost to South in their two previous meetings 72–52 and 82–73. In the class AAAA title game, Central held South's top player, Tayler Hill, to 9 points. It was the only game that season Hill scored below double-digits.
Overall, Central has won four state titles in girls basketball: 1976, 1979, 2007, and 2008.
Central High School is home to a budding policy debate
program. Founded by 2007 graduates Molly Schnell and Maureen O'Brien in 2004, the program has since grown to a roster size of 14 in the 2006–2007 season under the leadership of coach Dan Allen. The team qualified juniors Ben Quam and Ilias Karim to the quarterfinals of the Minnesota State High School League Policy Debate Quarterfinals as the fourth seeded team before they were eliminated by Edina High School
's seniors Doug Gschneidner and Logan Chin.
Central High School has also improved its Mock Trial team dramatically in recent years. Under the coaching of Stacey Sorensen and Prof. Peter Knapp, the Mock Trial team, captained by Elizabeth "Liz" Lee, reached the state competition for the first time in 2007 as regional champions, and again in 2008 captained by Charlie Armitz and Sarah Ludwig.
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
, is the oldest high school in the state of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Founded in 1866 in downtown Saint Paul, Central has educated many leaders in business, government, literature, arts, sciences, and education throughout the state of Minnesota and the United States. Central also boasts more Rhodes Scholars among its alumni than any other public high school in the U.S. with the most recent scholar, Matthew Landreman, being announced in 2003.
It is also one of the biggest high schools in the state and, as of 2011, the second largest in the city of Saint Paul, next to Harding Senior High School on the east side of the city. It is also a national Blue Ribbon School
Blue Ribbon Schools Program
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States government program created in 1981 to honor schools which have achieved high levels of performance or significant improvements with emphasis on schools serving disadvantaged students. The program centers around a self-assessment conducted by the...
.
History
Central High School has been situated in four locations, beginning with the first building in 1866.1866 (third floor of Franklin School Building)
Central High School was founded in 1866 in response to student requests. Before 1866, there were no educational opportunities in Saint Paul beyond grade school. About a dozen students wished to continue their schooling so, in 1866, two rooms were set aside for the "High School" on the third floor of the Franklin School building, located at Broadway and Tenth Streets in downtown Saint Paul. Some people thought that the school was a waste of space. Eugene Foster (known as the "Father of the High School") was the principal, and Mrs. H.M. Haynes was the lone teacher. The first graduating class of the Saint Paul High School was in 1870, and consisted of two students: Fannie Haynes (the daughter of the teacher), and A. P. Warren. The first 2 diplomas were hand printed on sheepskin. Gradually, the classes enrolled in the Franklin Building became too large for the two little rooms to accommodate them.1872 (Lindeke Building, 7th and Jackson, second floor)
In 1872, the Saint Paul High School moved to the Lindeke Building at 7th and Jackson streets where it occupied the second floor. That year, graduation exercises were held in the Saint Paul Civic Opera House where they were held until it was destroyed by a fire in 1899. Then the commencement exercises were held in the People's Church until the completion of the Saint Paul Auditorium. In 1872, thegraduating class consisted of 12 students: five boys and seven girls.
In 1873, the graduating class of 12 students originated the custom of presenting each senior with a souvenir appropriate to his/her character. For several years, a prize was offered for the best essay: a Webster's Unabridged Dictionary and a holder for it. The President of the Board of Education also presented a prize to the one having the highest standing in the class, usually a fine set of Shakespeare's works.
1883/1888 (10th and Minnesota)
Alvan Clark
Alvan Clark , born in Ashfield, Massachusetts, the descendant of a Cape Cod whaling family of English ancestry, was an American astronomer and telescope maker. He was a portrait painter and engraver , and at the age of 40 became involved in telescope making...
(1804–1887), whose company built some of the largest and best telescopes in the world, including the telescope for the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. Mechanics Arts High School, then known as Manual Training High School, was first housed in the basement of Central. The school was renamed Central High School in 1888.
Soon the building on 10th and Minnesota Street became too small, and the corner of Marshall and Lexington Avenues was chosen as the new site.
1912 (Marshall and Lexington)
Clarence H. Johnston, Sr.
Clarence H. Johnston Sr. was an American architect, active in Saint Paul and in Morris, Minnesota. In 1877, Johnston entered the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a special architectural student. Four years later, he went abroad, traveling in Europe and Asia Minor...
, was built in 1912 on the corner of Marshall Avenue and Lexington Parkway, and was attempted to be renamed Lexington High School; alumni, however, wanted to keep the moniker Central High School. A compromise was reached when the Minuteman
Minutemen
Minutemen were members of teams of select men from the American colonial partisan militia during the American Revolutionary War. They provided a highly mobile, rapidly deployed force that allowed the colonies to respond immediately to war threats, hence the name.The minutemen were among the first...
was adopted as a logo and mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
. In other words, the name of the school was retained, but for those who wanted the school to be named "Lexington," its logo and mascot were named after the colonial militia men of 1775 at Lexington, Massachusetts, who fought against the British in the first skirmishes of the War of Independence, and were required to be ready at a minute's notice. The adjacent stadium was built in the early 1940s by the WPA (Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
), as denoted by a plaque on the brick facade of the stands. It was renamed James Griffin Stadium
James Griffin Stadium
James Griffin Stadium is a 4,367-capacity stadium in Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA. Although it is located on the grounds of Saint Paul Central High School, it was also home the Concordia University, Saint Paul's football and women's soccer teams until 2008...
in 1998.
1912 Marshall/Lexington building construction:
Working name – West End High School
Proposed name – Lexington High School
Final name – Central High School
Architect - Clarence H. Johnston Sr. - prominent Saint Paul architect, studied architecture in Saint Paul as well as MIT, and the École des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The most famous is the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, now located on the left bank in Paris, across the Seine from the Louvre, in the 6th arrondissement. The school has a history spanning more than 350 years,...
in Paris, travelled Europe and Asia. Also designed houses for Summit Ave, buildings for the University of Minn, many others.
Architectural Artist – JC Trott (employed by the architect)
Style – Collegiate Gothic
Land purchased – 1909
Designed – 1909–1910
Building Permit Issued – May 31, 1910
Builder – C. Ash Company
Construction started – 1910
Ready for occupancy – 1911 (old school dropped from City Directory)
Cornerstone laid – April, 1912 (building completed)
Flagpole installed – 1914
New gymnasium – 1924 (added to the west side of the school, replacing the old one in the top floor of the middle section; see 1925 yearbook, history of Johnston's career, and spps history document)
Stadium – 1940/1943 depending on the source (building permits or spps).
Cost for 1909–1943 – $650,000 (not counting maintenance, heating, etc.)
1970s and 80s (Marshall and Lexington)
Rebuilding and modernization took place in the 1970s and 80s. Led by Ellerbe ArchitectsEllerbe Becket
Ellerbe Becket, an AECOM Company, is a Minneapolis, Minnesota-based architectural, engineering, interior design and construction firm – ranked as one of the world's largest architectural firms – and with offices in Dallas, TX, Kansas City, MO, San Francisco, CA, Washington, DC, Dubai,...
in 1979, the "castle" exterior was removed or overlaid with cement, a pool and other athletic facilities were added, and the interior was gutted and rebuilt. The building now uses only the structural frame of the previous building. This resulted in a joke amongst students that it was designed by a prison architect because of the school's rather utilitarian exterior, metal gates, and few windows on ground level. Until 2006 a barbed wire fence extended around Griffin Stadium
James Griffin Stadium
James Griffin Stadium is a 4,367-capacity stadium in Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA. Although it is located on the grounds of Saint Paul Central High School, it was also home the Concordia University, Saint Paul's football and women's soccer teams until 2008...
and portions of the school facing Interstate 94
Interstate 94
Interstate 94 is the northernmost east–west Interstate Highway, connecting the Great Lakes and Intermountain regions of the United States. I-94's western terminus is in Billings, Montana at a junction with Interstate 90; its eastern terminus is the U.S...
and Lexington contributing to the joke. Larry Millett
Larry Millett
Larry Millett is an American journalist and author. He is the former architectural critic for the St. Paul Pioneer Press, a daily newspaper in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the author of several books on the history of architecture in Minnesota...
, a local architecture critic described the building as, "The nadir of modern school architecture in Saint Paul, a building so resolutely grim and uninviting that it suggests that education can only be viewed as a form of incarceration."
Academics
Central offers many higher-level classes. It has offered the International BaccalaureateIB Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year educational programme for students aged 16–19that provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, and is recognised by universities worldwide. It was developed in the early to mid-1960s in Geneva by...
program since 1988. Central has the second largest IB program in the state of Minnesota. Students may also take Advanced Placement
Advanced Placement Program
The Advanced Placement program is a curriculum in the United States and Canada sponsored by the College Board which offers standardized courses to high school students that are generally recognized to be equivalent to undergraduate courses in college...
classes and their subsequent tests. Central was the only high school in Minnesota to be honored by the Siemens Foundation
Siemens Foundation
The Siemens Foundation is a non-profit organization run by Siemens AG. It is responsible for the Siemens Westinghouse Competition, a prestigious science award for high school students in the United States, and also is involved in the Siemens AP Scholar Award...
in their 2007-08 Siemens Awards for Advanced Placement. Central received the award for "its commitment to students and leadership in AP participation and performance". In 1970 Central began to offer the Quest program, the first gifted and talented program approved by Saint Paul Public Schools. This humanities based program was started in order to offer in-depth topics in the humanities that were not available in normal classes. The program continues to challenge students to think independently and to learn from each other and from the teacher in a discussion-based approach towards learning
Socratic method
The Socratic method , named after the classical Greek philosopher Socrates, is a form of inquiry and debate between individuals with opposing viewpoints based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and to illuminate ideas...
. Over 15 Quest classes are currently offered including classes on world culture, ancient civilizations, the Harlem Renaissance
Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned the 1920s and 1930s. At the time, it was known as the "New Negro Movement", named after the 1925 anthology by Alain Locke...
and Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
literature. Central has participated in the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
‘s College in the Schools
College in the Schools
College in the Schools is an educational program for high school students run by the University of Minnesota. It allows students to take college level classes in their high school and, as a result, earn college and high school credit for free. The classes are taught by high school teachers who...
program since 1994.
Arts
Central is known for its strong music program. Many different music classes are offered including Concert Band, Varsity Band, Orchestra, Concert Choir, Men’s Choir, and Women’s Choir. Co-Curricular opportunities include Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Jazz Band, Central Singers, Minnesingers, and the Music Listening Contest. Central performing ensembles have traveled in recent years to San Diego, New Orleans, New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, San Francisco, and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. Central musicians have a tradition of first place awards and superior ratings at local, state, and national festivals and competitions. The Central Concert Band and Orchestra were selected to perform at the 2007 MMEA
Minnesota Music Educators Association
The Minnesota Music Educators Association is the Minnesota state-level affiliate of MENC: The National Association for Music Education. MMEA is a 2000-member professional society for music educators and is one of Minnesota's content education organizations. The program has operated for over sixty...
Mid Winter Clinic. The Central Concert Choir performed at the ACDA-MN 2006 Fall Convention and the Central Singers were selected to perform at the 2007 Choral Arts Finale at Orchestra Hall
Orchestra Hall (Minneapolis)
Orchestra Hall, located at Nicollet Mall and 12th Street in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, is home to the Minnesota Orchestra. The Hall was built in 1974 and opened for the 1974 concert season...
. The Central Orchestra performed at Orchestra Hall in January 2007, opening for the Minnesota Orchestra, as part of the Music-Up-Close series. The Central IB Music program offers instruction in music theory, history, composition, and solo-performance.
Athletics
Central has produced a long line of talented athletes, the most notable being Major League Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Dave WinfieldDave Winfield
David Mark Winfield is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is currently Executive Vice President/Senior Advisor of the San Diego Padres and an analyst for the ESPN program Baseball Tonight...
. More recently, Central's athletics programs displayed their dominance when they won the 2008 St. Paul City Conference in every fall athletics category.
2006 baseball
The Bill Peterson led squad won conference for the first time in 41 years. "A-Squad" took fourth place in sections, falling to St. Thomas Academy in a shoot out 14–13 in extra frames.
Run to history
Rondo Days
Rondo Days is an annual weekend festival held in mid-July in Saint Paul, Minnesota that commemorates the Rondo neighborhood, an African-American community that was split in two by the construction of Interstate 94 in the mid 1960s...
parade.
History strikes again
Overall, Central has won four state titles in girls basketball: 1976, 1979, 2007, and 2008.
Extracurricular activities
Central's math team has also been highly successful. In 2007, led by Nick Arnosti, who did not miss a single point in the regular season, the math team was undefeated and won the state championship, scoring a state record number of points at the tournament.Central High School is home to a budding policy debate
Policy debate
Policy debate is a form of speech competition in which teams of two advocate for and against a resolution that typically calls for policy change by the United States federal government or security discourse...
program. Founded by 2007 graduates Molly Schnell and Maureen O'Brien in 2004, the program has since grown to a roster size of 14 in the 2006–2007 season under the leadership of coach Dan Allen. The team qualified juniors Ben Quam and Ilias Karim to the quarterfinals of the Minnesota State High School League Policy Debate Quarterfinals as the fourth seeded team before they were eliminated by Edina High School
Edina High School
Edina High School is a three-year public high school located in Edina, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. The school was founded in 1949 and is the main high school in the Edina School District....
's seniors Doug Gschneidner and Logan Chin.
Central High School has also improved its Mock Trial team dramatically in recent years. Under the coaching of Stacey Sorensen and Prof. Peter Knapp, the Mock Trial team, captained by Elizabeth "Liz" Lee, reached the state competition for the first time in 2007 as regional champions, and again in 2008 captained by Charlie Armitz and Sarah Ludwig.
Notable alumni
- Martin AppleMartin AppleMartin A. Apple is president of the Council of Scientific Society Presidents , an organization of presidents of some sixty scientific federations and societies whose combined membership reportedly totals over 1.4 million scientists and science educators...
(1956), molecular biologist and president of the Council of Scientific Society Presidents - Jeanne ArthJeanne ArthJeanne Arth is an American former Wimbledon and US Championships doubles tennis title holder.Arth graduated from Central High School in Saint Paul in 1952 and attended the College of St. Catherine. She went on to become an internationally #1 ranked tennis player...
, former U.S Open Doubles champion and Wimbledon Doubles champion. - Roger Awsumb, longtime children's TV host on WTCN (now KAREKAREKARE, digital channel 11, is an NBC-affiliated television station licensed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and serving the Minneapolis-St. Paul area of Minnesota and portions of western Wisconsin. It also operates KARE WX NOW, formerly known as NBC Weather Plus on its second digital subchannel...
), portrayed railroad engineer Casey Jones on "Lunch with Casey" from 1954 to 1972. - Micah BoydMicah BoydMicah Boyd is a male crew rower who qualified for the prestigious eight-man rowing competition of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, competing for the United States...
, 2008 Summer Olympics2008 Summer OlympicsThe 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
crewRowing at the 2008 Summer OlympicsRowing competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing were held from August 9 to August 17, at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park.- Events :14 sets of medals were awarded in the following events:*Single sculls men*Pairs men...
rower - Lawrence D. Cohen, mayor of Saint Paul and former judge
- Midge DecterMidge Decter-Biography:Midge Rosenthal Decter was born on July 25, 1927 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. She attended the University of Minnesota, the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, and New York University....
, editor and author. - Thomas M. DischThomas M. DischThomas Michael Disch was an American science fiction author and poet. He won the Hugo Award for Best Related Book – previously called "Best Non-Fiction Book" – in 1999, and he had two other Hugo nominations and nine Nebula Award nominations to his credit, plus one win of the John W...
, science fiction writer and poet - Amelia EarhartAmelia EarhartAmelia Mary Earhart was a noted American aviation pioneer and author. Earhart was the first woman to receive the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded for becoming the first aviatrix to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean...
, Aviation pioneer and women's rights advocate. Attended briefly before moving to Chicago. - HeiruspecsHeiruspecsHeiruspecs is a live rap/hip hop band based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, specifically the Midway neighborhood. The band's name is based on a deliberate misspelling of haruspex.Their album, 10 Years Strong, was released in December of 2007...
, underground hip-hop group. - Leigh KammanLeigh KammanLeigh Kamman is an American radio host who has focused bringing jazz music to the airwaves for his career, which spans more than six decades. Kamman began his career in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, but spent time in other places such as at WOV radio in New York City...
, Jazz musician and radio host. - Jawed KarimJawed KarimJawed Karim is a Bangladeshi German American technologist and co-founder of the popular video sharing website YouTube...
, co-founder of YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. - Harvey MackayHarvey MackayHarvey Mackay is a businessman and columnist. Mackay is perhaps best known as the author of five business bestsellers, including Swim With the Sharks , Beware the Naked Man Who Offers You His Shirt and Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty...
, Chairman of MackayMitchell Envelope and New York Times Best Selling Author of Swim With The Sharks. - E.D.I. MeanE.D.I. MeanMalcolm Greenridge , better known as E.D.I. Mean, is an American rap artist and a member of the Outlawz. While in the third grade, Malcolm became friends with Katari "Kastro" Cox who later introduced his cousin, Tupac Shakur, to E.D.I. Mean.-Dramacydal:In 1992, Kastro, Greenridge, and Tupac's...
, born Malcolm Greenidge, member of rap group OutlawzOutlawzOutlawz, formally known as Outlaw Immortalz, is an American hip hop group founded by Tupac Shakur in late 1995 after Shakur's release from prison. Collectively, they are probably best known for appearing in the video "Hit 'Em Up", in a diss track aimed at Biggie Smalls and other New York... - Mint ConditionMint ConditionMint Condition is an R&B band from Saint Paul, Minnesota. Formed in the late 1980s, its original members were lead singer Stokley Williams, bassist Ricky Kinchen, guitarist Homer O'Dell, pianist Larry Waddell, keyboardist Keri Lewis, and keyboardist/saxophonist Jeffrey Allen...
, R&B/FunkFunkFunk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
band, known for the hit "Breaking My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)". - Gordon ParksGordon ParksGordon Roger Alexander Buchanan Parks was a groundbreaking American photographer, musician, poet, novelist, journalist, activist and film director...
, photographer, filmmaker, and writer. - John RoethlisbergerJohn RoethlisbergerJohn Roethlisberger is a retired American gymnast. He is a three-time Olympian representing the U.S. at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, and 2000 Olympics in Sydney. He is also a four-time U.S. Nationals all-around champion and four-time U.S...
, three time Olympic gymnast - T. Denny SanfordT. Denny SanfordThomas Denny Sanford is a South Dakota businessman and philanthropist. He is currently the chairman and CEO of United National Corp.-Business ventures:...
(grad. 1954), banker and ranked #117 on Forbes list of richest Americans. - Charles M. SchulzCharles M. SchulzCharles Monroe "Sparky" Schulz was an American cartoonist, whose comic strip Peanuts proved one of the most popular and influential in the history of the medium, and is still widely reprinted on a daily basis.-Early life and education:Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Schulz grew up in Saint Paul...
, author of the PeanutsPeanutsPeanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, continuing in reruns afterward...
comic strip. - Richard M. SchulzeRichard M. SchulzeDick Schulze is the founder and chairman of Best Buy. He currently lives in Bonita Springs, Florida.He was born and raised in Saint Paul, Minnesota where he graduated from Central High School. He subsequently spent time in the U.S. Air Force with the Minnesota Air National Guard. He has an...
, founder of Best BuyBest BuyBest Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
. - Nick SwardsonNick SwardsonNicholas Roger "Nick" Swardson is an American actor, stand-up comedian, and writer. He is best known for his recurring role as Terry Bernardino in the Comedy Central series Reno 911!, for his work in Happy Madison films, most notably the 2011 film Just Go With It, and for his new Comedy Central...
, American actor and stand-up comedian. - Stanley Gordon West, author.
- Jon WienerJon WienerJon Wiener is an American professor of history at the University of California Irvine, a contributing editor to The Nation magazine, and a Los Angeles radio host. He was the plaintiff in a Freedom of Information lawsuit against the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its files on John Lennon.-...
, historian and political commentator. - Dave WinfieldDave WinfieldDavid Mark Winfield is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is currently Executive Vice President/Senior Advisor of the San Diego Padres and an analyst for the ESPN program Baseball Tonight...
, Baseball Hall of Fame left fielder. - Stacy RobinsonStacy RobinsonStacy Laddell Robinson is a former professional American football wide receiver in the NFL for the New York Giants. Perhaps his finest game came in week 13 of the 1986 season, when the Giants were playing the 49ers. The Giants trailed 17-0 at halftime, but scored three touchdowns in the third...
, National Football League wide receiver with the New York Giants who has two Super Bowl championships.