School briefs: Five Washington County students excel in state Aviation Art Contest

Five Washington County area students were among 12 student artists from across the state to be recognized for winning works in the 2014 Minnesota Aviation Art Contest.

The students were honored at an awards ceremony March 14 at the Minnesota Army National Guard aviation facility at St. Paul Downtown Airport.

"The goal of the Aviation Art Contest is to continually encourage young people to use their artistic talents while helping them to become more familiar with aviation, engineering, math and the sciences," said Cassandra Isackson, aeronautics director for the state Department of Transportation (MnDOT).

Winners in each age category (6-9, 10-13 and 14-17) received a gift certificate for a 30-minute flight at their local airport, plus art supplies. The 12 winning artworks, selected from a field of 368 entries, will be displayed at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport later this month.

First- through third-place winners in each category automatically advance to the national level of the contest, which is being judged in Washington.

Local winners included: Elizabeth Cho of the Math and Science Academy in Woodbury, first place, ages 14-17; Felix Oh of Woodbury High School, second place, ages 14-17; James Cho of Cottage Grove Elementary School, second place, ages 10-13; Simon Kim of Middleton Elementary in Woodbury, third place, ages 10-13, and Alvin Lee of Middleton Elementary, second place, ages 6-9.

Lucy Payne, a parent in the Mahtomedi School District who works in higher education, was appointed by the school board this month to replace departed member Steve Wolgamot.

"Schools are an important part of what holds a community together," Payne said in a statement on the district's website. "As I work I will always keep the students and their learning first in my mind."

Payne, 47, now serves as interim accreditation liaison officer in the academic affairs office at the University of St. Thomas.

Wolgamot retired from the board in January after serving 15 years.

The Stillwater public schools is weighing a plan to shrink bus service boundaries, a move that would provide rides to about 630 additional students, a district report states.

The school board is expected to vote on the proposal on Thursday.

The changes would cost the district about $167,000 annually.

The South Washington County School District is hosting a job fair for high school students on Tuesday at Park High School in Cottage Grove.

The event, which runs from 4 to 7 p.m., is the first to be held by the district and is open to all high school students eligible to work, a district news release said.

A flier for the fair states: "Be prepared and dress for success."

Students can speak with local employers about part-time summer jobs as well as ongoing work, the district said.

The district will have computers on hand to allow students to apply for jobs online.