South metro school briefs: Lunch price increase considered

Lunch price hike consideredFor the second year in a row, the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan schools plan to increase some school lunch prices.

Lunch prices went up 5 cents last year in Minnesota's fourth-largest school district.

Plans call for raising the price this fall another 10 cents for elementary students, to $2.20, and high school students, to $2.35. Middle school students would pay $2.25, unchanged from this year.

District administrators said the price hikes were driven by increasing food costs and the requirements of the federal Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. The law is intended to promote better nutrition and use of locally grown fruits and vegetables.

Breakfast and milk prices stayed the same this year, and would remain unchanged next year.

Applicants sought for gifted advisory panelRosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan schools are seeking applicants for two spots on the district's Gifted and Talented Advisory Council.

Openings are for one middle school parent and one high school parent. Applicants must be residents of the district. Terms begin Sept. 1 and run for three years.

Senior's documentary wins competitionHenry Sibley High School senior Molly Nemer's documentary, "Opening Levittown: Moving the First Black Family into America's Second Suburb," won first-place for senior individual documentaries in the Minnesota History Day competition.

More than 1,200 Minnesota students submitted entries, with winners named in 18 categories ranging from documentary film to performance and websites. This year's theme is "Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History."

Her 10-minute documentary on the integration of American suburbs focused on Levittown, Pa.

This is the third year in a row that Nemer has won the documentary competition.

First- and second-place finishers in each category are eligible to advance to the national competition next month at the University of Maryland.

Winners were chosen from among 15,000 finalists nationwide. South-metro winners included:

• Maren E. Loe of Apple Valley High School, who plans to study biomedical engineering.

• William S. Thomas of Eagan High School, whose interests are business and law.

• Avery F. Garon of Simley High School, who's interested in astrophysics and research.

• Muriel M. Carpenter of Northfield High School, who is interested in joining the Foreign Service.

• Charles D. Leighton of Trinity School at River Ridge in Eagan, who plans to study medicine.

The National Merit Scholarship Corp. finances most of the 2,500 scholarships announced Wednesday. About 1,000 students from around the country received corporate-sponsored National Merit awards last month, and another 4,800 will receive college-sponsored awards later.

Schools to host Red Bulls generalMaj. Gen. Richard C. Nash, commander of the Army's 34th Infantry Division, known as the Red Bulls and headquartered in Rosemount, will speak at 6:30 p.m. May 24 at the New Prague High School auditorium.

Nash's topic is "Building Leaders in Our Schools, Communities and Workforce."

Nash, a graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato, enlisted in the infantry in 1972 and was promoted to major general in June 2004. He has led the Red Bulls since October 2007.